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Two migrants die in Channel crossing attempt
Two migrants lost their lives overnight from Friday to Saturday during an attempt to cross the English Channel near Boulogne-sur-Mer in northern France, local authorities confirmed.
The incident occurred off the beaches of Neufchâtel-Hardelot as around one hundred migrants tried to set out to sea aboard a makeshift inflatable boat, hoping to reach the United Kingdom. About sixty people were reportedly taken into care by civil protection services, according to Isabelle Fradin-Thirode, sub-prefect of Montreuil-sur-Mer.
This latest tragedy brings the number of deaths linked to Channel crossings to at least 25 since the beginning of the year, according to figures compiled from official data. Earlier this month, three migrants died after being crushed at the bottom of an overcrowded vessel that left from Sangatte, while three others were reported missing in another incident.
These risky journeys across one of the world’s busiest maritime corridors are often attempted with fragile, overcrowded dinghies, known as “small boats.” Departures are frequently chaotic, adding to the already extreme dangers of the crossing.