Five people including a seven-year-old girl have died while trying to cross the Channel in a small boat
The BBC witnessed people scrambling onto the boat, as well as police efforts to stop them
The incident comes as the UK's parliament passed the PM's flagship Rwanda bill after months of wrangling
It will see some asylum seekers sent to the east-central African country to have their claims processed
The bill designates Rwanda a safe country but the plan is fiercely criticised by opposition and rights groups
Rishi Sunak says today's deaths serve as a reminder of why he wants to deter people smugglers
Watch: PM Rishi Sunak says opponents to the bill have used "every trick in the book"
Here's the moment when the prime minister pledged that flights will go to Rwanda.
He said Parliament will sit and vote tonight on the bill, "no matter how late it goes".
The prime minister said: “We got the number of small boat arrivals last year down by more than a third."
That is correct. In the whole of 2023, 29,437 people were detected crossing the English Channel, which was down 36% from the previous year.
But numbers are up again this year.
In 2024 so far, there have been 6,265 people detected crossing, which is up by a quarter from the same period last year.
Image source, .
Image source, PoolAnd that wraps up the prime minister's news conference, where he pledged that the first flights to Rwanda would depart in 10 to 12 weeks.
Rishi Sunak voiced his frustration over how long the bill has taken to be passed into law, blaming Labour peers at the House of Lords for the set back.
But he doubled down multiple times: "No ifs no buts, these flights are going to Rwanda."
Stick with us as we bring you the latest lines and analysis.
Last up is the BBC's political editor Chris Mason.
He puts it to Sunak that he is now "acknowledging" that his initial promise to get flights off by spring isn't going to happen - and asks if the PM can be certain that the Rwanda plan will be a working deterrent by the general election.
Sunak concedes that the plan will be in motion later than he'd hoped, but blames the slow progress on Labour's attempts to block its passage.
He says it's important "we do this properly" and the "priority" is having a "drumbeat" of multiple flights a month throughout the summer.
"That's how you stop the boats."
Next TalkTV asks the Sunak about how prepared Rwanda is for this policy - previously President Paul Kagame said he could return money to the UK if no asylum seekers are sent to his country under his deal with the government.
Sunak says he recently spoke with President Kagame as he tells the press conference Rwanda has "initial accommodation centres ready".
He adds that Home Office officials have "helped to train 69 different asylum decision makers" as well as 40 Rwandan lawyers who will be on hand to provide extra legal assistance.
Finally, Sunak says Rwanda cares about tackling the issue.
Sunak is now being asked if the Rwanda bill goes through, will it be a moment of success for him, and if his reputation depends on it.
"Success is when the boats have been stopped, that's what the country expects, that's what the government and I committed to delivering," the prime minister says.
He blames Labour peers in the House of Lords for the delay, adding that people can have confidence on his commitment to delivering the policy based on the numbers of arrivals decreasing last year.
But in 2024, so far the numbers are up, as our colleagues at BBC Verify have examined.
"We've got to finish the job," Sunak adds. But he deflects answering the question, saying the Labour party, if elected, "can't tell you at all what they'd do about this issue".
Shortly before Sunak began taking questions, he attacked Labour by saying "the Labour Party have no plan, no treaty, no bill".
"Their priority is not stopping the boats but stopping the planes, removing people who have no right to be here," Sunak says.
He says his government has a plan to deliver: "We will start the flights, and we will stop the boats."
Another reporter notes that the Safety of Rwanda Bill is supposed to be "emergency legislation" - but it's been five months since it was first introduced.
"Is House of Lords fit for purpose?" they ask.
Sunak says the government has been working "at pace" to deliver the plan, adding that tackling illegal migration is "an increasingly important issue for the country".
He notes that when the plans faced obstruction in November 2023, when the UK Supreme Court ruled that the Rwanda scheme was unlawful, "we disagreed with it, but respected it".
He says now, however, his and the public's "patience has run out" and hits out again at Labour peers for "repeatedly" blocking the bill.
The next question comes from a Daily Express reporter who asks if the PM will rule out a summer election, in order to allow the Rwanda policy to take effect.
Sunak says he has addressed election rumours in the past - he previously said it will be in the second half of this year.
He is then asked about Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley after a group campaigning against antisemitism called for him resign over the force's handling of pro-Palestinian protests.
The Met apologised twice on Friday after an officer described Campaign Against Antisemitism boss Gideon Falter as "openly Jewish".
Sunak says he shares the "shock and anger" when he saw the clips.
Sunak says it was right the Met apologised, before he said Sir Mark Rowley and the Met "have a tough job" - but adds that he believes "what happened was wrong".
He finishes by saying he does have confidence in Sir Mark, so long as he continues to rebuild confidence in the Met.
Sunak is now being asked whether the UK will need to leave the European Courts of Human Rights (ECHR).
Back in November 2023, the UK Supreme Court ruled that the Rwanda bill was unlawful.
"I am confident that we are acting in a way that is compliant with all our international obligations," Sunak says, but he voices his frustration.
"My patience, like the patience of the British people is worn pretty thin by this point," the prime minister adds.
He says his government addressed all concerns raised by the Supreme Court and others. "I'm not going to let a foreign court, given all of that, block us," he adds.
Image source, PoolThe first question from reporters comes from the i newspaper. Sunak is asked how many people will be on these flights to Rwanda and how regular they will be.
Sunak declines to lay out too much detail, and instead turns to the preparations made by the government, including booking commercial charter planes and putting an airfield on standby.
The PM repeats that the Rwanda plan is about instating a "regular rhythm of flights...multiple a month through summer and beyond...until the boats have stopped".
Sunak says criminal gangs are "changing tactics once again", and says there has been an increase on violence against French police.
In January, Britain set aside nearly £500m for France to spend on strengthening its policing of the dunes and beaches along the Calais coast in northern France.
The PM claims Vietnamese arrivals have "increased tenfold", and says he is working with French President Emmanuel Macron to close loopholes, and signing a joint statement with the Vietnamese government.
Sunak pushes that the Rwanda Bill acts as an effective deterrent and is an innovative solution.
The prime minister says that the UK government is in a battle with callous criminal gangs.
Nine people have died this year already attempting to cross the Channel, Sunak tells a news conference, saying that among them was a seven-year-old girl.
To deter the small boats arrivals, Sunak says his government has struck deals with both France and Albania.
The prime minister says that under his leadership the government has been able to curb the number of small boat arrivals by a third.
Image source, PoolSunak is now reaffirming his commitment to the flights, saying "we are ready, plans are in place... no foreign court will stop us from getting flights off."
He also thanks the Rwandan government for their assistance and says the next few weeks will be about action.
"People want deeds not words. I'm not going to outline what's going to happen and when."
As a reminder, in November 2023, the UK Supreme Court ruled unanimously that the Rwanda scheme was unlawful.
Sunak says teams are working "flat out" to deliver the plans to stop some asylum seekers from entering the UK.
He also insists that the first flights bound for Rwanda will leave within 10 to 12 weeks.
As a reminder, the first flight was scheduled to go to Rwanda in June 2022, but was cancelled after legal challenges.
Sunak adds that there will be a "regular rhythm" of flights throughout the summer until the boats are stopped.
Sunak says the government has an airfield on standby, as well as commercial flights ready to go to Rwanda.
"This is one of the most complex endeavours the Home Office has carried out," Sunak tells the news conference.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak says the government has "prepared for this moment" - to send some asylum seekers to Rwanda.
"There are 200 trained dedicated case workers ready and waiting," the prime minister adds.
Image source, PoolSunak begins by saying that opponents of the government's plan, including Labour peers in the House of Lords, have "used every trick in the book" to attempt to stop the Rwanda bill from passing.
"No ifs no buts, these flights are going to Rwanda," he says.
The prime minister has taken his place at the podium in Downing Street.
You can watch Rishi Sunak's statement live by pressing the play button on the stream above.
Chris Mason
Political editor
Rishi Sunak’s news conference will start shortly.
Hopefully I’ll get to ask a question. I notice a new graphic on display - which seems to mimic a border control stamp - in this case saying ‘stop’ or no.
The whole point of this policy is to act as a deterrent to those contemplating crossing the English Channel in small boats.