Two Women Die Crossing English Channel from France to UK
Theo Al Jazeera
Two Sudanese women died attempting to cross the English Channel from northern France to the UK, French authorities said on April 13. Their boat suffered engine failure and ran aground near Calais, with 82 people aboard; 17 were rescued. The deaths underscore ongoing challenges in policing Channel crossings, with at least 29 fatalities recorded in the area in 2025.
Two women, believed to be Sudanese, died while attempting to cross the English Channel from northern France to the United Kingdom on a small boat, French authorities said on April 13.
Christophe Marx, a regional official, said the victims, in their 20s, were aboard a boat carrying 82 people. The vessel departed overnight April 12-13 but its engine failed to start and it began drifting.
Seventeen people were rescued at sea and brought to the port of Boulogne-sur-Mer. The boat, with the remaining 65 people, then ran aground on a beach near Neufchatel-Hardelot, about 12 km south of Boulogne-sur-Mer. The victims were found "dead inside the boat," possibly due to being crushed or suffocating from overcrowding, Marx said.
Thirteen people suffered moderate injuries, and three were seriously hurt, including one with burns, all taken to hospitals. They will receive treatment and be questioned by border police to determine responsibility for the crossing.
The deaths highlight the challenge Britain and France face in stopping small boats carrying migrants across the Channel, as concerns over immigration numbers fuel support for far-right parties. Earlier, two people died off Gravelines, France, on April 1 while trying to reach the UK. On April 9, two men and two women died after being swept away by waves.
In 2025, at least 29 people have died at sea in the area. Last month, Britain announced it would pay France up to LB660 million (USD$895.8 million) under a three-year border security deal to crack down on Channel crossings. France will increase police and gendarme patrols along the coast, while the UK government will boost operational cost contributions. French officials said the number of people reaching the UK since the start of 2025 has dropped sharply compared to the same period in 2024.
