THE government’s “smash the gangs” slogan and security-heavy approach is fuelling tragic and avoidable deaths in the Channel, campaigners warned on Sunday. 

Eight people died while trying to cross the Channel overnight on Sunday, less than a fortnight after 12 others lost their lives making the same journey.

Some 53 people were on board the boat, which got into difficulty off the coast of Ambleteuse in the Pas-de-Calais region of northern France.