With each death, the PM will face more questions about why he's scrapped Britain's only deterrent

"THE smugglers who were still on the beach told us that it was normal for water to enter the boat," Osama Ahmed revealed.

- MICHAEL KNOWLES

The 20-year-old Syrian, who was making his third attempt to cross the Channel in a month, was plunged into the water minutes later, as the boat carrying more than 60 people deflated.

Osama clung to the wreckage, already aware that someone had died after getting trapped inside the boat as it suddenly collapsed into itself.

The group of migrants remained in the water for around 90 minutes, before the rescue ships arrived.

As Osama was lifted from the water and taken to shore, he received the devastating news that his father had been swept to his death. Osama's father is one of more than 70 people to have died this year, making it the deadliest on record for Channel crossings.

The boats have got bigger, and flimsier, with the smugglers altering their tactics to stay ahead of French police.

Sir Keir Starmer has made "smashing the gangs" the central theme of his bid to end the small boats migrant crisis.

That pledge followed his decision to axe the Rwanda deportation scheme earlier this year.

Now, with each death, the Prime Minister will face more questions about why he scrapped Britain's only deterrent.

The PM is relying on bolstering ties with governments along the smuggling routes to snare the criminals, break up their supply chains, deny them access to boats and engines, and prevent more deaths.

The UK has signed agreements with Germany, Italy, Serbia, North Macedonia, Kosovo and Iraq.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper's visit to Baghdad and Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan region of Iraq, was significant.

Iraqi-Kurdish smuggling gangs control most of the beaches and camps in northern France.

These gangs run migrant smuggling operations from Calais to Dunkirk, the Daily Express understands, with territories split up according to where the criminals are from.