A sailor has died after a blaze ripped through his stricken ship in the Channel, it was confirmed today.

Three crew members from the Turkish vessel were airlifted to a Kent hospital yesterday after their engine room caught fire.

Coastguards said they were suffering from burns and smoke inhalation and were taken to the QEQM in Thanet.

But this morning it was confirmed one of them died.

The ship was travelling through the channel about 18 miles east of Dover when the incident happened.

The crew were able to put the fire out themselves but the ship is now anchored in the traffic lane unable to move.

Coastguard staff worked to get it going again and get it out of the busy shipping passage.