Three undocumented migrants, including a 10-year-old boy, have died while attempting to cross the English Channel from France to Britain, French authorities said on Monday.
The three victims, believed to be two women in their 30s and an Eritrean boy, died after becoming trapped in an overcrowded inflatable boat carrying 105 people.
The dinghy departed from the Sangatte area of northern France at about 5:15am local time. Passengers contacted rescue services around 8:00am when the vessel was about six kilometres off the English coast, according to local prefect Francois-Xavier Lauch.
Lauch said the victims appeared to have died in a crush caused by the large number of people aboard the dinghy. The boy was reportedly travelling with his mother and siblings.
The vessel did not sink, and the other passengers were rescued and taken into care, the maritime prefecture said.
Survivors were brought to the French port of Calais later in the morning. An AFP correspondent reported seeing some passengers arrive on stretchers and in wheelchairs, while many were wrapped in emergency blankets. Children were also among those rescued.
The latest deaths bring to at least 22 the number of people who have died this year while attempting to cross the Channel, according to an AFP tally based on official French and British figures.
At least 29 people died during Channel crossings last year, according to the same tally.
Lauch warned that the current period could be particularly dangerous for migrants attempting the crossing, as autumn weather and deteriorating sea conditions create additional risks.
“These days of autumn, when the weather is still good but the sea is already starting to become dangerous, are delicate periods,” he said, adding that crossings were particularly dangerous at this time of year.
The deaths came days after three bodies were found following chaotic departures of so-called “taxi boats” in northern France. The term refers to inflatable boats that approach beaches from the sea to pick up migrants in shallow waters.
Many migrants attempting the Channel crossing pay smugglers thousands of dollars to board inflatable boats that are often unstable and overcrowded, despite the risks posed by the busy shipping route.
The crossings remain a major political issue in Britain, where successive governments have sought to reduce the number of migrants arriving by small boats.
A total of 781 people arrived in Britain on Wednesday after crossing the Channel, marking a daily record for 2026, although overall arrivals remained below previous years.
As of Sunday, about 19,135 people had crossed the Channel from France to Britain in 2026, representing a 42 per cent decline from the same period last year.
