Two women have died off the French coast after a small boat carrying over 80 migrants ran aground while attempting to reach Britain. The victims, aged 16 and 29, were discovered on a beach near Neufchatel-Hardelot, south of Boulogne-sur-Mer, according to Christophe Marx, a regional government official.
Emergency services made the grim discovery in the early hours of Sunday. There were immediate fears that the deceased, among 82 people packed onto the inflatable vessel, had been crushed to death. The boat's engine exploded, forcing those on board to huddle together as they fled a raging fire around 3am.
Marx, of the Pas de Calais prefecture, stated: 'They were in a small boat carrying approximately eighty-two people. The boat ran aground on the beach, and the victims were found dead inside the boat.' An Iranian survivor recounted: 'There was a problem with the engine, which caught fire. This forced everybody backwards, into a huddle.'
Mayor and Local Response
Paulette Juilien-Peuvion, Mayor of Neufchatel-Hardelot, said: 'One of the victims was only sixteen years old, the second was not yet thirty. A man on the boat had suffered severe burns and was transported to hospital in an emergency vehicle, while five others were also in a critical condition.' No immediate identification has been made, and local prosecutors have opened a criminal inquiry.
In a separate incident, a second small boat was rescued by the Minck, a vessel chartered by the French Navy, and all 17 people on board were taken to safety.
Recent Deaths and Crossing Statistics
Four people died last month while attempting to board an inflatable dinghy in nearby Equihen-Plage, all having waded into the sea to reach a so-called 'taxi boat' positioned offshore. Two others died in similar circumstances a few days earlier, as French authorities reported an increase in crossing attempts due to improved weather. All had paid people smugglers for a place on an overcrowded boat on one of the world's most dangerous migrant routes.
According to UK and French government figures, more than 5,000 people have successfully crossed the Channel this year, following over 41,000 crossings in 2025. This is despite Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood announcing a string of new measures to crack down on illegal immigration. Last week, she signed a three-year agreement with France that will see more French riot police deployed on beaches.
The Home Office stated the agreement would result in hundreds of migrants per year being 'removed from French beaches' and deported to their home countries or other EU states they have passed through. Around £501 million will be spent on boosting enforcement action on beaches. At least eight people have now died this year on small boats attempting the risky Channel crossing to the UK's southern coast, while at least 29 migrants died in the boats last year.
Political Reactions
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp commented: 'This is yet another day of shame for this weak Prime Minister and Home Secretary. They have no control whatsoever over our borders. Illegal Channel crossings are up by 45 per cent since the general election. Labour's claims to smash the gangs lie in tatters.' He added: 'We need to urgently leave the ECHR, which will enable us to deport these illegal immigrants within a week of arrival. Then the crossings will soon stop. That is the Conservative plan, but Shabana Mahmood and Keir Starmer are too weak to do it.'
A previous multi-year deal with Emmanuel Macron's government, signed in 2023, expired at the end of March. The £478 million package was also expected to fund a new detention centre in France, which has still not opened. In the new negotiations, Labour has been demanding performance-related payments, with funding staggered according to the number of migrants prevented from leaving French beaches.
Labour's separate 'one in, one out' scheme, launched last year to allow small boat migrants to be returned to France, has seen 377 removed so far, but 380 have been brought into the UK under reciprocal terms. The scheme is due to end next month. In a further sign of disarray, the head of the UK's border security command stepped down at the end of March after failing to stem the surge in crossings. Sir Keir Starmer appointed Martin Hewitt, a former senior police officer, shortly after becoming Prime Minister, tasking him with curbing numbers. But during his 18 months in the job, crossings continued at sky-high levels, with last year witnessing the second-highest annual total on record.
