No fewer than eight people have died overnight while attempting to cross the English Channel from France, French police have confirmed.
According to the BBC, the tragedy occurred when a rubber vessel carrying around 60 migrants, including individuals from Eritrea, Sudan, Syria, and Iran, encountered difficulties in waters north of Boulogne-sur-Mer in the Pas-de-Calais region around 01:00 local time (00:00 BST).
French rescue services were alerted but were unable to assist from the sea as the boat drifted towards the rocky coastline near the town of Ambleteuse.
The vessel eventually crashed onto rocks and broke apart. Emergency services reached the beach and provided care to 53 survivors, while eight were confirmed dead.
Six people, including a baby suffering from hypothermia, were rushed to the hospital. No additional people were found during sea searches.
This incident comes less than two weeks after 12 migrants, including six children and a pregnant woman, lost their lives when their boat sank in what has been the deadliest Channel crossing this year.
The Boulogne-sur-Mer public prosecutor’s office has opened an investigation into the latest tragedy.
A UK government spokesperson acknowledged the incident, stating that French authorities are leading the response.
British Foreign Secretary David Lammy described the deaths as “awful” and reiterated the UK government’s commitment to working with European partners to combat the people-smuggling networks responsible for the dangerous crossings.
Recent calmer weather has led to an uptick in Channel crossing attempts. On Saturday, 801 people successfully crossed the Channel, marking the second-highest daily total of the year, with authorities monitoring 18 separate attempts. French maritime authorities reported that 200 migrants were rescued between Friday and Saturday.
Including the eight latest victims, 45 people have died in the Channel this year— the highest toll since 2021, according to the UN’s International Organisation for Migration.
Amnesty International UK called the incident “yet another appalling and avoidable tragedy,” while Enver Solomon, CEO of the Refugee Council, emphasized the need for a comprehensive solution to reduce dangerous crossings. He stressed that enforcement alone is not enough, calling for improved access to safe asylum routes to prevent further loss of life.
