A huge scale search in the English Channel will continue this morning following the tragic deaths of four asylum seekers.

International rescue efforts continued off the coast of Kent in freezing conditions overnight after a dinghy capsized in the early hours of Wednesday, leaving dozens of people in the icy channel.

It is now thought four more asylum seekers are missing. The people on board the boat included men, women and children from Senegal, Afghanistan, India and Iraq.

A phone call was made at 2.53am from one man whose family were in the water. Screams could be heard in the background.

“Please help me bro, please, please, please. We are in the water and we have a family,” he said.

The search and rescue operation was launched after authorities were first alerted to the incident at 3.05am this morning.

The owner of a fishing boat has since described how his crew helped save 31 from the freezing water.

The search yesterday involved 14 boats from both sides of the channel, as well as four helicopters and a fixed wing plane.

Co-ordinated by the British Coastguard, the water-based teams include four lifeboats, four coastguard rescue teams, three military vessels (including one from France) and three fishing boats that were in the area at the time.

They are being supported by three coastguard helicopters and one from the French Navy, as well as a fixed-wing Coastguard aircraft.

Police and ambulance services were deployed yesterday morning alongside the air ambulance to assist casualties when they were brought ashore.

A Coastguard spokesman said: "HM Coastguard continues to co-ordinate a search and rescue response to an incident involving a small boat in the English Channel, working with the Navy, Border Force, Kent Police and other partners.

"We have tasked Dover, Dungeness, Hastings and Ramsgate RNLI lifeboats and Deal, Dungeness, Langdon, and Folkestone Coastguard Rescue Teams, along with the Coastal Operations Area Commander.

“HM Coastguard helicopters from Humberside, Lydd and Lee on Solent and one from the French Navy are also responding, together with a fixed wing Coastguard aircraft.

"Three military vessels – two from the UK and one French - are also searching. In addition, three fishing vessels in the area are assisting with the search and rescue.

"South-East Ambulance, Kent Police and an air ambulance have deployed to assist the shoreside response. The incident is ongoing and we have no further information at present.

“HM Coastguard will continue to safeguard life around the seas and coastal areas of the UK, working with search and rescue resources in the area. If a vessel needs search and rescue assistance, HM Coastguard will continue to respond to all those in need. Our thoughts are with the families of those who have lost their lives today.”

It is understood that as many as 47 people entered the water off the coast of Dungeness in the early hours.

In addition to the four lives known to be lost in the tragedy, a further two people were taken to the William Harvey Hospital in Ashford for treatment.

A private ambulance was seen leaving Dover harbour this morning, after a body bag was winched from a lifeboat onto the side of the marina.

A spokeswoman for the East Kent Hospitals University Foundation Trust, which runs the hospital, said: "East Kent Hospitals was placed on standby in the early hours of this morning following an incident off the Kent coast, working with SECAmb, Navy, Border Force, Kent Police and other partners. We were stood down at around 9am.

"We have received two casualties at William Harvey Hospital. Our thoughts are with the families of those who have lost their lives."

Speaking this evening, Dover and Deal MP Natalie Elphicke called for urgent action to prevent further tragedies.

“The tragic loss of life in the English Channel underlines the urgency of ending the small boats crisis," she said.

“The criminal gangs behind these dangerous journeys have a callous disregard for human life.

"They won’t stop unless they are made to by Britain and France. That’s why the Prime Minister should meet urgently with President Macron to agree a joint Channel patrol on the beaches to stop the boats getting in the water - and a joint Channel patrol to protect lives.

"Urgent action is needed now.”

This morning's incident echoes a similar event 13 months ago, when 32 lives were lost after a boat trying to reach the UK sunk.

Charities have called the deaths "wholly unnecessary and preventable" and are calling for safe passage for asylum seekers.

Speaking in the House of Commons today, Home Secretary Suella Braverman said the tragedy was a "sobering reminder that we have to end illegal crossings".

She added: "This is the day to express our sympathy with the families of the victims and thank the rescue services."

She also said that the UK would create "more safe and legal routes" and work with the UNHCR (The UN refugee agency) to identify those most in need.

But she added: "It isn't true that our capacity is limitless. We are already spending millions on hotels every day. People don't need to seek asylum if they are in a safe country."

"All of us give our thanks to the brave responders..."

Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper told the Commons: "This is truly tragic and deeply disturbing news. All our prayers are with the victims and their families.

"All of us give our thanks to the brave responders. It is because of their bravery that more lives were not lost."

Ms Cooper said that after last year's mass deaths of 32 asylum seekers at sea "it was a matter of time before more lives were lost".

She said: "The responsibility for this lies with the criminal gangs. They have created a multi-million pound industry.

"We were gathered in this house just a year ago when lives were lost and none of us want to be here again."

Today, amid the ongoing tragedy, a number of Kent MP's voted in favour of a bill that would instruct the government to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda "regardless" of any rulings by international courts.

The bill, brought forward by Jonathan Gullis, was supported by Natalie Elphicke, Craig Mackinley, Kelly Tolhurst, Gordon Henderson and Tracey Crouch, but was defeated by 182 votes to 69.

Rosie Duffield, Labour MP for Canterbury, was among those MPs to vote against the bill.

Speaking on today's incident, Ms Duffield said: "It’s yet another tragedy that could have been preventable if the government had got their act together.

"They have been in power for 12 years and we have been hearing various stories about cutting down on those that offer these really hideous and dangerous routes across the Channel, and nothing has been done.

"We have had a handful of prosecutions and there have been documentaries that show those people just sitting openly, offering trips across the ocean.

"We’re talking about manslaughter because they know how dangerous these routes are and really vulnerable people are getting into those boats with all of their hopes and dreams just a few miles away.

"What happened this morning is an example of how horribly wrong it can go.

"It sounds great that the Prime Minister is on top of things, and they keep promising that they’re going to deploy more people to help, to make other routes safe, but we’ve heard it all before, we just need to see action now.

"Just a few short hours later there were people drowning in icy waters."