27 September 2025 , 10:40
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Two women died while attempting to cross the Channel to Britain, French authorities reported.
The incident happened south of the beaches of Neufchâtel-Hardelot, where roughly 100 individuals were trying to reach the UK on a makeshift boat.
Currently, about 60 people are being cared for, said Isabelle Fradin-Thirode, an official in nearby Montreuil-sur-Mer.
French authorities stated that the women went into cardiac arrest. Rescue services tried to revive them but were unsuccessful.
The two women died in a dinghy that departed at 3:15 am from the coast of Neufchâtel-Hardelot. The boat returned to the beach around 4:15 am after drifting without being able to start the engine.
Firefighters were called to the dinghy upon reports of a child suffering from hypothermia and found the two women in cardiopulmonary arrest.
A doctor declared them dead at 5 am. The child, along with both parents, who were also suffering from hypothermia, were transported to Boulogne hospital for treatment.
An investigation is underway under the authority of the Boulogne-sur-Mer public prosecutor to determine the tragedy’s circumstances.
A spokesperson for the préfet of Pas de Calais stated: “We still lament this fact today: through greed and disregard for human life, smuggling networks increasingly endanger people, adults, and children, selling them crossings across a dangerous sea on completely unsuitable vessels.
“Facing this criminal cynicism, the state showcases its commitment: every day, lives are saved through the determined actions of police officers and gendarmes, who relentlessly fight against these departures, and by rescue operations conducted at sea by the maritime prefecture or on land by the fire service.”
According to a statement from the préfet of Pas de Calais, Friday night was busy for crossings. After a period from 20 to 25 September with no crossings due to bad weather, more favorable conditions prompted smugglers to resume packing people into overcrowded dinghies. Officials reported that several crossing attempts were intercepted by police and gendarmes.
The incident brings the number of Channel crossing deaths this year to at least 25, according to an Agence France-Presse tally based on official data.
Since January, a record 31,000 people have arrived in Britain by crossing the Channel in small boats.
Under a recent Franco-British scheme, the UK can return those deemed ineligible for asylum after arrival, including those who passed through a “safe country” to reach UK shores. In return, London will accept an equal number of people from France likely to have their asylum claims granted.
World Affairs Correspondent