Two female Sudanese asylum seekers have died attempting to cross the English Channel in the early hours of Sunday morning off the coast of Boulogne. One victim was reportedly a 16-year-old teenager and the other a woman in her 20s. They were discovered dead inside a boat that ran aground on the beach of Neufchâtel-Hardelot, according to Christophe Marx, secretary general of the Pas-de-Calais Prefecture.
The vessel was carrying approximately 82 people. Marx stated that the victims were found dead inside the boat. Three survivors are in critical condition due to burns caused by a mix of engine fuel and seawater. Fourteen others sustained less severe injuries, with five taken to hospital.
A major rescue operation was launched after dozens of people attempted to board the overcrowded dinghy, described as a taxi boat. Seventeen people were rescued at sea and taken to Boulogne-sur-Mer, while 65 remained onboard until the boat ran aground. The fatalities and injuries occurred after the engine failed and the boat began to drift. A judicial investigation has been initiated by the Boulogne-sur-Mer public prosecutor's office.
Today's deaths bring the total Channel crossing fatalities this year to at least eight, including two deaths a month ago and four more three weeks ago. At least 29 people died attempting the crossing last year. The latest tragedy raises questions about the recent three-year deal between the UK and France, under which the UK is paying the French government £662 million to prevent small boat crossings and save lives. France is increasing police and gendarme patrols along the coast, while UK payments to France have risen by 40%. Reports indicate French patrols will intervene only to stop boats with fewer than 20 people onboard, citing risks to life when stopping severely overcrowded vessels.
In a statement Sunday morning, the Maritime Prefect for the Channel and the North Sea noted that due to the structural fragility and overcrowding of the boats, French authorities do not force people to board state rescue vessels to avoid endangering lives in the event of a shipwreck. GB News reported over 550 people crossed the Channel in small boats this weekend, though official Sunday figures are pending. Government data confirmed 325 people crossed in six boats on Saturday.
One asylum seeker returned to France under the "one in one out" deal told the Guardian he was in a French government hostel with many asylum seeker families, and that Home Office officials had visited days earlier warning against crossing. Hours later, some families left and are believed to have reached the UK earlier this weekend. Home Office sources declined to comment on operational matters, stating their priority is to dismantle people smugglers' business models.
An open letter from over 70 refugee NGOs, coordinated by the Humans for Rights Network and Project Play with signatories including Médecins Sans Frontières, the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants, and Safe Passage International, called for a public inquiry into UK spending on stopping the boats. A Home Office spokesperson said: "We are deeply saddened to hear about the deaths in French waters today. Every death in the Channel is a tragedy and a stark reminder of the dangers posed by criminal gangs exploiting vulnerable people for profit. We will continue working relentlessly with the French and our partners overseas to prevent these perilous journeys."
