A child is believed to have died while trying to cross the Channel in a small boat, according to French reports. The body of the teenager, who was believed to have fallen from a dinghy, was discovered on a beach in northern France on Sunday.
The death follows those of three other people on Saturday who were trying to reach the UK – two Somali women who were reportedly crushed in a boat, and a man whose body was recovered from a canal in the town of Gravelines, near Dunkirk.
According to UK government figures, 895 people crossed the Channel in 12 boats on Saturday, taking the number making small boat crossings this year to more than 33,300. The large number of crossings on Saturday was due to an improvement in the weather after poor conditions had led to a pause over the previous six days.
The body of the child was discovered on a beach in Saint-Étienne-au-Mont. The child had been onboard a crammed dinghy from which another 48 people fell into the sea, who were later rescued.
An investigation into the latest death has been opened, led by the Boulogne-sur-Mer public prosecutor.
According to the prefect of Pas-de-Calais, Laurent Touvet, since Friday evening there have been 41 maritime incidents relating to failed departure attempts or completed crossings. He said the authorities had provided care for 223 shipwrecked people since Saturday morning.
“Faced with these deadly crossings organised by unscrupulous criminal networks, the state remains fully mobilised. Police officers, gendarmes and all emergency services continue their efforts day and night to save lives,” Touvet said.
A post on X by the French association Utopia 56, which supports migrants in northern France, said: “The body of a child was found this morning on a beach south of Boulogne-sur-Mer, even as attempts to cross the English Channel have been multiplying since the day before yesterday. This is the fourth death announced this weekend, all victims of deadly policies carried out at this border.”
In the past fortnight, Britain and France have introduced a “one in, one out” deal under which seven people have so far been returned to France in an attempt to deter further crossings. A family of three asylum seekers including a small child have come to the UK.
The UK government has installed signs in English and French around Calais and Dunkirk warning that people who cross the Channel to the UK will be at risk of being returned to France. Figures since the deal was announced include 1,072 people crossing the Channel in 13 boats on 19 September.
