Four people died off the northern coast of France on Thursday as migrants tried to board a small boat to cross the Channel to England, bringing the number of such deaths this year to six.
Two men and two women were swept away by strong currents near the village of Equihen-Plage, regional official Francois-Xavier Lauch said.
Another person was treated for hypothermia and 37 others were taken into the care of emergency services.
The nationalities of the victims were not immediately known, with Lauch describing the death toll as still “provisional”.
The group had been trying to board a so-called “taxi boat” – inflatable dinghies that leave the shore nearly empty before picking up migrants wading into shallow water.
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Failed boarding
“Around 30 migrants tried to board the boat. Things went wrong and, let’s just say, they floundered in the water,” said Christian Fourcroy, mayor of Equihen-Plage. “Among them were two women and two men who died.”
Officials said the method is used to avoid police patrols along the coast, but police did not intervene to stop the taxi boat.
Local prosecutor Cécile Gressier confirmed that the victims were all adults. She said the boat had “continued on its way”, carrying around 30 other people after the failed boarding attempt.
Smugglers continue to “enrich themselves” by “exploiting the misery and distress” of migrants trying to reach the United Kingdom, she added.
A police investigation has been opened into the incident.
Emergency crews were seen gathered on the beach, with survivors wrapped in thermal blankets and some wearing life jackets. Some were collecting their belongings before being taken to a reception centre.
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Rising death toll
The latest deaths bring the number of people killed attempting the crossing this year to six, after two men – one Sudanese and one Afghan – died last week trying to make a similar crossing.
France has long been a launchpad for migrants hoping to reach the UK, often in flimsy and overcrowded boats.
At least 29 people died making the journey last year, according to a tally by the French news agency AFP that is based on official French and British sources.
French figures show nearly 50,000 people aboard 795 boats attempted the crossing last year. British authorities recorded 41,472 small-boat arrivals in 2025, the second-highest annual total after a record 45,774 in 2022.
The topic of illegal immigration from northern France to Britain has long been a point of contention between Paris and London.
(with newswires)
