BBC Breakfast hosts broke devastating news live on air as two migrants died after attempting to cross the Channel overnight
BBC Breakfast presenter Luxmy Gopal shared the breaking news annoucemnt live on air(Image: (Image: BBC))
BBC Breakfast presenters delivered heartbreaking breaking news during their live broadcast.
On Sunday’s (May 3) edition of the beloved morning programme, Luxmy Gopal and Roger Johnson updated audiences on the day’s major stories from across the UK and around the world.
They were accompanied in the studio by Elizabeth Rizzini, who delivered regular weather forecasts, while Olly Foster handled the sports coverage.
However, towards the programme’s conclusion, Luxmy shared the tragic development following reports that two migrants had lost their lives after a boat sank in the Channel during an overnight crossing attempt to the UK, reports the Mirror.
Addressing viewers, Luxmy said: “Some breaking news to bring you. Reports have just come through in the past few minutes that two people have died off the coast of northern France after a boat carrying migrants came into difficulty overnight.”
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Co-presenter Roger added: “Lets go live to our reporter Simon Jones, who has got the latest on this for us. Simon what more do we know about what happened.”
The programme then switched to Simon, who joined the breakfast show remotely via video link and briefed viewers on the tragic developments.
A major rescue mission was initiated in the early hours after a migrant dinghy transporting 65 individuals encountered trouble off Hardelot beach, south of Boulogne.
French officials have confirmed that two female migrants perished in the incident involving a so-called taxi boat, as scores of people attempted to clamber aboard. Officials report that a second migrant vessel in the vicinity pressed on with its voyage to the UK, while the incident took place at approximately 3am.
According to Christophe Marx, a regional government official, roughly 82 individuals were crammed aboard the vessel that “ran aground” on a beach at Neufchatel-Hardelot, situated about 12 kilometres (seven miles) south of Boulogne port.
The tragedy brings the death toll to at least eight people so far this year amongst those attempting the perilous Channel crossing to reach the UK’s southern shores.
Last month, Britain and France reached a fresh three-year agreement on security measures aimed at preventing the crossings.
France will deploy additional police officers and gendarmes along the coastline, while the British government will increase its financial contribution towards the operation’s costs, based on an AFP tally using official French and British sources.
BBC Breakfast airs daily from 6am on BBC One and iPlayer
