A 10-year-old boy and two women died after passengers were reportedly crushed inside an overcrowded migrant boat during an attempted English Channel crossing.

The incident happened early today off Wissant, several miles south of Calais, with dozens of other people suffering serious injuries.

Francois-Xavier Lauch, prefect of Pas-de-Calais, said at a press conference on Monday that the victims did not appear to have drowned. “Apparently there was no drowning; it was likely crushing, which is just as dreadful, especially when we think of the 10-year-old child,” he said.

An emergency responder at the scene confirmed that an investigation had been launched to establish exactly how the three people died.

Authorities had not immediately released the victims’ identities, although they were understood to be Eritrean asylum seekers.

About 105 people were aboard the vessel, which local officials described as a “water taxi”.

The boat was believed to have travelled from an inland waterway with relatively few people on board before collecting passengers from the shoreline at Wissant.

A spokesperson for the prefecture said the sea had been calm and conditions were favourable, adding that “the weather is good”.

At 10.30am local time, six rescue vessels remained in the area around the capsized boat as crews continued searching for survivors.

The prefect described early autumn as a particularly sensitive period, when the weather can remain mild even as the sea begins to turn more hazardous.

“It is during these times that crossings are the most dangerous,” he said.

The Prime Minister’s official spokesperson said the government was “deeply saddened” by the deaths reported in France.

The spokesperson said the tragedy highlighted the risks created by criminal gangs that profit from exploiting vulnerable people.

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They added that the Prime Minister remained committed to doing more to stop people from embarking on such dangerous journeys.

The latest incident came just days after three migrants died while scrambling to secure places aboard a boat last week.

French prosecutors have opened criminal investigations into the separate tragedies, with judicial police leading the enquiries.

The deaths bring the number of people who have died while attempting to cross the Channel to Britain this year to at least 24, including women and children.

Many have drowned, while others have been crushed to death in overcrowded boats.

The worst tragedy of this kind came in November 2021, when 27 migrants died after a dinghy sank while heading to the UK – the highest recorded number of deaths from a single incident.

Multiple attempts at crossings have taken place from the coast of northern France over the last few days, as the smugglers take advantage of calm seas and good weather.

According to figures from the Home Office, 781 migrants arrived in Britain last Wednesday – the highest single-day total recorded so far this year.

In total, 18,565 migrants have reached England via this route since January, a figure down by more than 40 per cent compared with the same period in 2025.

The surge in crossings also indicates that people-trafficking gangs are still getting hold of dinghies and outboard motors with ease, despite a crackdown on supply routes.

Last week also saw two ‘uncontrolled landings’ in which migrant boats reached the UK without being intercepted by the authorities.

In further chaotic scenes, a dinghy launched from near Bayeux, in Normandy, made a record 38-hour voyage.

They launched just before 10am on Monday and, on Tuesday afternoon, were picked up by RNLI lifeboats and later transferred to a Border Force cutter.

The 51 migrants aboard were eventually brought ashore to Dover in the early hours of Wednesday.

This was the moment 18-year-old Tristan Roberts remained eerily calm while being arrested for murdering his mother, just hours after dog walkers discovered her body hidden in undergrowth.

Roberts, from Prestatyn in North Wales, was handcuffed outside his home after Angela Shellis, 45, was found dead at Morfa Nature Park.

The teenager, who was described as hating women and being obsessed with violence, beat his teaching assistant mother to death in a planned hammer attack in October last year.

He held Ms Shellis captive in her bedroom and recorded her four-hour ordeal before luring her into isolated woodland, claiming he was giving her the opportunity to seek help.

Instead, Roberts inflicted the fatal injuries and abandoned her body in the nature reserve. He then returned home at around 6.30am, where North Wales Police later arrested him.

Footage of the arrest, which took place at 1.20pm, features in a new episode of the Channel 4 documentary 999: What Happened Next, broadcast on Mondays at 9pm.

The programme examines the evidence that led to Roberts’ arrest and his eventual sentence of at least 22 and a half years at Mold Crown Court in March.

A clip shared with the Daily Mail shows officers ordering Roberts to “turn around and face the wall” before telling him to put down the water bottle he was carrying.

An officer tells Roberts, “Just going to put you in handcuffs for now, okay? Have you got anything on you?” Roberts replies, “No. Am I detained or arrested?”

Another officer then says: “All in order at the moment, Tristan came to the door and he came out, so we’ll wait for other officers to get here before we go into the address.”

Detective Constable Claire Owen, who worked on the case, recalled the arrest in the documentary. She said: “He came out of the house calmly.

“He allowed himself to be handcuffed. Potentially we thought he may have been in shock or very young and didn’t understand what was going on.”

DC Owen said Roberts then asked officers: “Is the body that’s been found my mum?”

She added: “His reaction just seemed very at odds with what you would expect with an 18-year-old who had just been arrested for murder.”

The investigation began at around 8.30am, when a dog walker called 999 to report finding a woman’s body in undergrowth, along with a substantial trail of blood on a gravel path.

Detectives secured the area and deployed drones. They also recovered a crutch, a balaclava and a pair of black gloves, although officers did not yet know the victim’s identity.

Shortly after 1pm, police received another call from a relative of Ms Shellis, who had become concerned about both her and Roberts after he barricaded himself inside the house.

Police were told Ms Shellis had been using a crutch because of a knee injury – and headed to the home, by which time family members had managed to get inside.

During that period officers also obtained CCTV of Roberts and Ms Shellis leaving the home at 3.20am, with Roberts carrying a rucksack and Ms Shellis with a crutch.

Police thought this was significant enough to arrest Roberts, which they did – and detectives then worked to establish his exact movements.

DC Owen said: ‘We had to keep an open mind as to who committed this offence. We strongly suspected Tristan at that point, but equally it’s possible that he’d left Angela in the nature reserve and someone else had done this.’

Detective Superintendent Andy Gibson, the senior investigating officer, added: ‘So at this point in time we’ve got CCTV evidence of Tristan’s movements.

‘But we still need to fill evidential gaps. Was he responsible for the murder of his mother? What was the motivation in terms of that murder?’

Investigators then found footage of the mother and son going over the local railway crossing, heading towards the Morfa site – before Roberts returned to the home.

Soon after that Roberts left the home alone again, following the same direction but this time carrying a bag – believed to have bleach and other fluids to forensically clean the scene.

In the months before the murder, Roberts – who was diagnosed with autism and ADHD – had boasted online about his intention to kill.

He also discussed being motivated by a ‘hatred of women’, writing: ‘I do hate girls, are you OK with that?’ 

An AI tool advised him that a hammer would be the best murder weapon for ‘a non-experienced killer’, and also provided help on how to clean up after the killing.

Roberts’s older brother Ethan had even texted his mother when she failed to answer the phone on the day of her murder, asking: ‘Just call me for a second – so that I know you are alive.’

Roberts posed as her, replying: ‘I think I am alive [laughing emoji]’.

After killing Ms Shellis, Roberts posted online: ‘I’ve just had the craziest day’, adding that he had ‘beat the s*** out of her’ and ‘smashed her skull in so hard with a sledgehammer’.

On the day of the arrest, a family liaison officer – who cannot be named for police operational reasons – was assigned to support relatives of Ms Shellis.

This officer told the documentary: ‘Angela was a mother, a daughter herself, she was one of three siblings and she was part of what was a really close family who chose to spend a lot of time together.

‘She absolutely worshipped both of her sons and did above and beyond what anyone would do for them. She was known as kind and sweet and a lovely person and they all knew each other very well and they all knew Tristan very well.

‘They all knew the battle Angela was manning to try and make sure that he got the right support and that he took that support – but there was a deterioration in his behaviour.’

Ms Shellis’s sister Sarah Gunther said in court that she wanted her to be remembered as ‘a mum who never gave up, no matter what life threw at her’, adding that the family had ‘fought so hard’ in an attempt to get Roberts ‘the help you needed’.

‘999: What Happened Next’ airs on Channel 4 on Mondays at 9pm

A lithium-ion battery caused the fire that killed a mother and her three children, an investigation has found.

Elisha Brabin, 36, and her children Leo Brabin, 16, Ellis Brabin, eight, and seven-year-old Prudence Brabin died during the blaze at their home in Bootle, Merseyside, in the early hours of Tuesday, September 22.

Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service (MFRS) said investigators determined that an electrical event caused the lithium-ion battery to enter thermal runaway, triggering the fire.

Thermal runaway happens when a battery produces more heat than it can safely disperse. Its temperature then rises rapidly and uncontrollably, creating a serious fire risk.

Firefighters responding to the property on Stone Square at about 3.45am found Ms Brabin and her children in an upstairs bedroom.

A fifth person was taken to hospital with burn injuries.

Kev Johnson, head of prevention at MFRS, said: ‘This is a devastating incident, and our thoughts are with the family and friends of the mother and children who lost their lives, as well as those who were injured.

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‘I would like to commend our fire control staff and crews, who worked alongside colleagues from NWAS and made every possible effort to achieve a different outcome. Sadly, the speed and intensity of the fire meant that this was not possible.

‘This tragedy highlights the very real dangers posed by lithium-ion batteries, which we have confirmed were the source of the fire.’

The fire service has not said what the battery was being used for. Lithium-ion batteries are commonly found in e-bikes and e-scooters.

MFRS said 150 fires linked to lithium-ion batteries had been recorded in Merseyside between April 2023 and August 2026. Five people have died in incidents connected to the batteries.

Mr Johnson added: ‘We are urging people to follow manufacturers’ instructions and use only batteries and chargers supplied with the vehicle or approved by its manufacturer. Using unsuitable equipment can create a significant fire risk.’

‘It’s also important to know and recognise the signs that your lithium-ion battery may be failing – if it is swelling, making unusual sounds, has a strong smell, is failing to charge, or is smoking, please stop using immediately.’

Following their deaths, the family of Ms Brabin said she was a ‘devoted and loving mother who lived for her children’.

They said: ‘The tragic loss of Elisha and our three precious children has left us heartbroken. They have all been taken from us far too soon.

‘The loss we are experiencing is unimaginable, and the impact on our family will be felt forever.’

Lachie Neale has taken part in his final Mad Monday celebrations with the Brisbane Lions, as AFL fans continue to criticise comments he made after his team’s grand final victory.

Looking relaxed, Neale joined his teammates at Tetto Rooftop Bar in Everton Park, north-west Brisbane, following the Lions’ 96-89 win over Fremantle on Saturday.

The departing Brisbane midfielder wore an oversized T-shirt and loose-fitting pants, carrying a ribboned trophy in one hand and a full plastic bag in the other.

Neale has faced backlash over his post-match speech, in which he confirmed his departure from the Lions and thanked his loved ones for their support after a turbulent year and the breakdown of his marriage following a cheating scandal.

‘I’ve got great people around me,’ Neale said.

‘I’ve had great support for the last 12 months from a lot of people that love me and who I love very much.’

His new girlfriend, Emma Field, was among the crowd at the MCG, while his former partner Jules shared a photograph of herself wearing a Fremantle scarf before the match.

Field wore a black jacket emblazoned with ‘Neale 09’ on the back and later posted a photograph celebrating with the midfielder as he displayed his premiership medal.

The scenes were a sharp contrast to the previous year, when Neale celebrated Brisbane’s triumph with Jules and their children.

Some social media users focused on that difference as they criticised Neale’s post-match comments.

‘I was so upset when he got interview time, I had to look away,’ one person said.

‘Everyone went quiet when he got his medal,’ another claimed.

Others questioned Neale’s comments about the people who had supported him.

‘No, because who has he really got left? His therapist?’ one person wrote.

The backlash also extended to Neale’s dramatic escape from suspension, which had placed his participation in the premiership decider in doubt.

He was handed a one-match ban for striking Hawthorn’s Jack Ginnivan in the stomach during the preliminary final.

The tribunal upheld that penalty before a successful appeal cleared him to face his former club on the biggest day of the season.

For some critics, the combination of his reprieve and another premiership fuelled their frustration.

But other fans pushed back against the personal attacks, questioning why footballers were expected to serve as examples in every aspect of their lives.

‘We really need to remember they’re footy players,’ one wrote.

‘Making them role models or idols is where people are going wrong.’

Neale’s relationship breakdown became public in December, when Jules rejected suggestions the couple were working through their problems and said she had been ‘betrayed in the most unimaginable way’.

Her former friend Tess Crosley was subsequently linked to allegations of an affair with the footballer.

Speaking to Daily Mail in August, Crosley said she regretted decisions she had made and described the previous 12 months as ‘really, really chaotic and hard’.

‘First of all I have made some bad decisions I deeply regret but I believe that I am not a bad person,’ she said.

‘I also think it is important for people to understand that I was a nobody and I was in a high-profile scandal without all the high-profile help.’

The ongoing attention surrounding the saga was highlighted again last week when an Instagram account posted a Mad Monday costume photograph featuring three men dressed as Neale, Jules and Crosley.

The Neale impersonator wore Brisbane gear and stood between two men in blonde and brunette wigs.

‘Tess, Lachie and Jules on Mad Monday,’ the account captioned the image.

Crosley responded in the comments: ‘Jump scare warning next time pls.’