A woman and an eight-year-old boy were killed in a failed attempt to cross the English Channel from France to Britain under cover of darkness, French naval authorities announced on Wednesday.
The two bodies, reported to be Turkish, were found unconscious on a small crammed boat carrying nearly 80 migrants along the northern French coast, AP and AFP say. French naval officials were assisting the boat when the bodies were found.
The French Navy rescued ten individuals who requested to be assisted right away and brought them to the port of Calais. The remaining passengers aboard the ship continued their journey into British waters.
Spike in Fatal Incidents
French authorities have confirmed that at least three people have died this week attempting the perilous sea crossing. Earlier this week, one person drowned and another was left missing after a migrant boat broke apart from being overloaded while attempting to cross overnight. The missing person’s body has not been recovered, according to the French maritime authority.
The UK government announced that more than 12,500 people have arrived on British shores in 2025 via small boat Channel crossings. A minimum of 14 migrants have died trying to cross the sea to the UK this year to date.
