Four people die off French coast during attempt to cross English Channel

Two men and two women have died after attempting to cross the English Channel in a small boat, French authorities have said.

The four who died had tried to board a dinghy but were swept away by strong currents, a French government official said, in an incident which happened around 7am local time.

Authorities said another 38 people were assisted, including three who required medical attention, off the coast of Boulogne, between Equihen-Plage and Hardelot-Plage.

The dinghy proceeded into deeper waters and continued its journey to the UK, local authorities ⁠said.

It comes less than two weeks after two migrants died off the coast of France during an attempt to cross the Channel, one of the world's ​busiest shipping lanes.

Francois-Xavier Lauch, an official for Pas-de-Calais, said: "We sadly have to report four deaths this morning.

"The people who died were attempting to board a taxi-boat.

"I have to commend the actions of our officers and firefighters who, as you know, are deployed every day to stop these crossings."

Speaking of the four people who died, he said: "They were already quite far into the sea.

"The currents, which can be dangerous here, swept them away.

"This provisional toll - and I insist that it is provisional - states four deceased: two men, two women."

In the ‌past year, traffickers have taken to motoring dinghies along stretches of ‌the northern French and Belgian
coasts picking migrants up along the shore. Authorities refer to them as 'taxi-boats'.

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The UK government last month signed an extension with France over current arrangements on beach patrols as part of efforts to reduce the number of Channel crossings.

Some 4,441 migrants arrived in the first three months of 2026, according to Home Office data.

This is 33% lower than the number who had reached the UK by this point in 2025, which was 6,642.

(c) Sky News 2026: Four people die off French coast during attempt to cross English Channel