British police have arrested a Sudanese man following the discovery of a migrant’s body on Sangatte beach near Calais on Tuesday morning.

National Crime Agency (NCA) officers detained the 21-year-old in Dover on suspicion of illegal entry and facilitating illegal immigration.

The man is suspected of operating a boat which reached UK waters yesterday.

He is now in custody.

The dead migrant, who authorities confirmed was a 24-year-old Eritrean woman, is believed to have died trying to cross the English Channel in a small boat.

Her death is being investigated by the French authorities, supported by the NCA and Kent Police.

NCA deputy director Craig Turner said: “This incident demonstrates the danger posed to those making these crossings.

“Targeting the criminal networks involved is a priority for the NCA, and we are working with French partners to identify those responsible for this tragic death.”

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A total of 212 migrants illegally crossed the Channel on Tuesday in three boats, according to the Home Office.

They were the first arrivals for nine days.

In August, at least six people died and dozens more were rescued after a migrant boat crossing the English Channel capsized.

The incident took place off Sangatte in northern France.

One of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s five key priorities was to stop small boat crossings but his plans for bringing down illegal immigration have been mired in difficulty and delay.

Since 2018, more than 100,000 people have arrived illegally in the UK on small boats.

Speaking on Tuesday, Home Secretary Suella Braverman warned that uncontrolled and illegal migration posed an “existential challenge for the political and cultural institutions of the West” as she called for reform to the UN Refugee Convention.