Eight dead after Channel crossing attempt - French officials

Eight people have died overnight while trying to cross the Channel from France to England, French police say.

Rescue services were alerted after the boat got into difficulty in waters north of Boulogne-sur-mer after 01:00 local time.

"Several migrants lost their lives," the Pas-de-Calais prefecture told AFP news agency.

The incident comes more than a week after 12 people, including six children and a pregnant woman, died when a boat carrying dozens of migrants sank off the French coast.

The incident on 3 September was the deadliest loss of life in the Channel this year.

French maritime authorities said on Saturday that 200 people were rescued in a 24-hour period over Friday and Saturday.

The French coast guard and other first responders rescued people onboard four separate boats - one with 61, another with 55, and two others with 48 and 36 each.

Eighteen attempted crossings were monitored by authorities over the course of the day.

Regional prefect Jacques Billant is set to hold a news conference at 10:00 local time (09:00 BST).

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