LILLE, (France): Six people were killed when a boat carrying migrants heading to Britain sank in the Channel early Saturday, French maritime officials said, as a search continued to find those still missing.

A spokeswoman from the French coastal authority Premar said between five and 10 passengers were still missing, while 55 had been rescued. Three French ships, a helicopter and a plane have been mobilised to search the area off Sangatte in northern France, along with two British ships.

The local prosecutor said that the first victim was a man aged between 25 and 30 years old of Afghan origin, who had been evacuated by helicopter to a hospital in Calais but later died. Five other people in a critical condition were taken to Calais on a lifeboat but declared dead on the ship’s arrival, said the Premar spokesperson.

An AFP reporter in Calais saw some of those rescued disembarking from a patrol boat with emergency services on site.