The Archbishop of Canterbury has spoken of his sadness over the loss of four migrants who died when their small boat capsized in the English Channel.

The dinghy got into difficulty in the freezing waters off the coast of Dungeness, 30 miles west of Dover, at around 03:00 GMT on Wednesday. 

The crew of a passing fishing trawler pulled 31 people from the boat, according to media reports.

Video footage showed migrants crammed together and water inside the vessel.

Some of the survivors are reported to be in critical condition in hospital. 

Archbishop Justin Welby said on Twitter: "I'm praying for the victims of today's terrible events in the Channel. It's another reminder that debates about asylum seekers are not about statistics, but precious human lives.

"May God comfort those who mourn, those who survived and all those who work to save lives at sea." 

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak told MPs it was a "tragic loss of human life".