Four Migrants Die Off France in Channel Crossing

Four migrants, including two men and two women, died off the northern coast of France on Thursday morning while attempting to cross the English Channel in a small boat. Local authorities recovered their bodies after strong currents swept them away as they tried to board the vessel near the town of Equihen-Plage, between Boulogne and Hardelot-Plage.

Francois-Xavier Lauch, the prefect of the Pas-de-Calais region, described the incident at a news conference, noting that the death toll remained provisional. "We sadly have to report four deaths this morning," Lauch said. "The people who died were attempting to board a taxiboat." He praised the response from officers and firefighters, who rescued at least 42 others and brought them to shore. One person received treatment for hypothermia, while 37 were taken to hospitals for care. Emergency services arrived at the scene around 7:30 a.m. local time, and French authorities continued monitoring several other small boats at sea, including with a military helicopter.

The boat involved was a so-called taxiboat, a tactic increasingly used by smuggling networks to evade patrols. These vessels launch from hidden spots along the northern French...