The Egyptian man - who has not been identified by name - is said to have made £173,000 from the crossing, equivalent to £1,000 per head.

The Eastbourne lifeboat was launched at 6am today alongside French and British coastguard vessels after the boat's engine caught fire in French waters. File photo.

More than 170 migrants paid around £1500 to board a 'mega dinghy' operating a taxi boat service to the UK - before it caught fire