Two migrants die in Channel crossing attempt off French coast

Two women have died while trying to cross the English Channel to the UK in a small boat.

They were on a dinghy carrying 82 people off the coast of Neufchatel-Hardelot in the Pas-de-Calais region on Sunday morning, French authorities said.

The boat, which left the south area of Neufchatel-Hardelot at around 1.30am, started drifting out at sea after a technical issue.

According to media outlet France 24, the secretary general of the Pas-de-Calais prefecture, Christophe Marx, told a press briefing the boat ran aground on the beach and the two women were found dead inside the boat.

The women are believed to be in their 20s and of Sudanese origin, but Mr Marx added an investigation and hearings will take place to determine their nationalities.

French authorities said three people are in a state of “absolute emergency”, with burns resulting from a mix of fuel and sea water, and 14 are in a state of “relative emergency”, including five who were taken to hospital.

The 17 migrants were taken aboard French rescue vessel The Minck as part of a large-scale operation that also involved the French Gendarmerie’s coastal patrol vessel Armoise.

They were brought back to the Boulogne-sur-Mer harbour, Pas-de-Calais, at 4am.

The other migrants on board returned to the beach where they were assisted by emergency services and security forces, French authorities said.

An investigation into the incident was open by the Boulogne-sur-Mer prosecutor’s office.

French authorities said in a statement: “All state services were mobilised to respond to this incident, with the involvement of the national gendarmerie, border police, aerial resources — including drones — the departmental fire and rescue service, as well as volunteers from Civil Protection, and resources co-ordinated by CROSS Gris-Nez under the authority of the Maritime Prefecture of the Channel and the North Sea.

“Smuggling networks, driven by criminal motives and a total disregard for human life, continue to endanger vulnerable people by organising crossings in makeshift boats.

“The state maintains a firm response to these actions and, in co-ordination with the judicial authorities, continues its efforts to combat these networks.”
The deaths come just weeks after two men and two women drowned after being swept away by strong currents while trying to cross the Channel on April 9.

Two migrants also died in a similar crossing attempt a week earlier on April 1 – thought to be the first so far this year.

This brings the total number of arrivals so far this year to 6,796, which is a drop of 41% compared to the same point last year (11,516) and 18% down on 2024 (8,278), Press Association analysis shows.

Woman and girl, 16, killed on small boat in English Channel carrying 82 migrants
Father who abducted son mistakenly released from prison and remains at large
Watchdog warns millions face ‘fresh uncertainty’ over car finance compensation
Discover a hidden island paradise in the Indian Ocean
Meanwhile it is 8% higher than the 6,280 arrivals at the same point in 2023.

Crossings continued on Sunday with pictures showing people in life jackets disembarking from a Border Security Command boat, including a child being carried in a man’s arms.

On Saturday, the French coastguard said it rescued four people from two different boats who asked for help before the dinghies continued into British waters.

In a translated statement the maritime authority said a land patrol by security forces reported the first boat in the area of Merlimont beach, in the Pas-de-Calais region.

A coastal patrol boat was sent to the boat where one person asked for help and was taken to the beach and into the care of the fire department.

A second boat was reported in the Onival beach area where three people requested help and were rescued by officials and met on the beach by an ambulance.

Reacting to the deaths, Refugee Council’s Imran Hussain said: “We know that it is desperation that drives refugees fleeing devastating war and brutal regimes into small boats, which is why the lack of safe and legal routes to the UK is a problem that needs fixing.

“The Government has said Sudan is the greatest humanitarian crisis facing the world, but a Sudanese refugee has no safe route to the UK, even if it is to join up with their family.”