Four migrants died on Thursday in the English Channel after being swept away by strong currents near the northern French village of Équihen-Plage. The victims, two men and two women, were attempting to board a small dinghy to reach England.
Regional official François-Xavier Lauch confirmed the deaths, noting that the toll remains provisional. Emergency services treated one additional person for hypothermia, while 37 other individuals were taken into care at a nearby reception center.
Local prosecutor Cécile Gressier stated that the victims were all adults. According to officials, the migrants were attempting to board a "taxi boat," a vessel that launches discreetly and partially empty before picking up passengers in shallow waters to evade security forces.
Smuggling tactics and rescue operations
Witnesses at the scene saw survivors wrapped in thermal blankets, with some still wearing life jackets as they gathered their belongings before being transported by bus. The vessel involved in the incident reportedly continued its journey with approximately 30 people on board after the others failed to board.
Prosecutor Gressier condemned the incident, stating that smugglers continue to "enrich themselves" by "exploiting the misery and distress" of those seeking to reach Britain. Lauch clarified that police did not intervene to stop the boat during the incident.
The international border between France and England remains a flashpoint for migration policy. While French authorities have shifted their strategy to allow for the interception of taxi-boats at sea under specific conditions, the dangerous nature of the crossings persists.
This incident brings the total number of migrant deaths in the Channel this year to six. Last week, two men—one from Sudan and one from Afghanistan—died in a similar attempt to cross the narrow waterway. Last year, at least 29 people lost their lives during transit, according to data from official French and British sources.
