French authorities reported that four people died in two separate attempts to cross the English Channel in small boats. Three bodies were recovered near Dunkirk after a boat was reported at about 6 a.m., while a capsizing off Hardelot left one man dead and six others with minor injuries, including a one‑year‑old child. A judicial investigation has been opened to determine the cause of the capsizing.
Four Die in Two Separate Attempts To Cross English Channel, French Authorities Say
FILE -A boat thought to be with migrants is escorted by a vessel from the French Gendarmerie Nationale off the Wimereux beach, France, Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Nicolas Garriga, File)
PARIS — French authorities said Thursday that four people died during two separate attempts to cross the English Channel in small boats.
Near Dunkirk, rescue teams were dispatched after a small boat was reported at about 6 a.m., the maritime prefecture for the English Channel and the North Sea said. Rescuers recovered three people from the vessel and brought them ashore, where officials later confirmed their deaths.
In a separate late‑Wednesday incident off Hardelot on France's northwestern coast, a small boat capsized, the Pas‑de‑Calais prefecture said.
"The provisional toll is one man, estimated to be between 30 and 40 years old, deceased, and six people with minor injuries, including a one‑year‑old child, who were treated by emergency services," the prefecture said.
A judicial investigation has been opened to determine the causes of the capsizing and to establish the full circumstances surrounding both incidents. Authorities have not yet released information about the nationalities of those involved.
These tragedies underscore the dangers of attempts to cross the Channel in small, often overcrowded vessels. French and British authorities regularly warn that such crossings can be life‑threatening. For ongoing reporting, see AP's global migration coverage.
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