The UK Border Force is responding to an "urgent" and serious incident off the Harwich coast in Essex, the Daily Mail has reported, citing a Home Office spokesperson. The spokesperson said that HM Coastguard is coordinating the rescue effort to save migrants from a sunken dinghy they had used to cross the English Channel.
Two passengers from the inflatable boat have already been rescued, but the Border Force is still looking for the other three, who are feared dead, the media outlet said.
HM Coastguard sent out a helicopter and another aircraft to help rescuers, while the Royal National Lifeboat Institution has deployed a lifeboat to the scene.
The route is known to be used by people-smugglers to bring migrants into the UK, the Daily Mail noted. However, it is not usually used by migrants travelling on inflatable crafts.