Four people have died trying to cross the English Channel from France to the UK, French officials say, in the latest tragedy on one of the world’s most dangerous migration routes.
The two men and two women drowned after being swept away by strong currents as they attempted to board a small boat early on Thursday morning, according to a French government official for the Pas-de-Calais region.
François-Xavier Lauch said the four had been trying to get onto what he called a “taxi-boat” when they were carried away by the sea. “We sadly have to report four deaths this morning,” he told reporters.
The incident happened at around 07:00 local time off the coast of Boulogne, between the beaches of Equihen-Plage and Hardelot-Plage. Thirty-eight other people were rescued in the area, with three needing medical treatment. The dinghy they had been trying to board went on to continue its journey toward Britain.
The deaths come less than a fortnight after two other migrants died off the French coast during a separate crossing attempt, renewing pressure on both the French and British governments to address the dangerous crossings.
Tens of thousands of people attempt the Channel crossing each year in small, often overcrowded and unseaworthy vessels, driven by conflict, poverty and the search for safety.
The route has claimed hundreds of lives in recent years.
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