A woman has become the latest person to die while trying to cross the English Channel, amid a surge in illegal crossing attempts this weekend.
Her body was found on Sunday morning on a beach near Boulogne-sur-Mer in northern France, according to the AFP news agency, with her age and nationality not yet known.
The latest death comes after two Somali women died when their makeshift boat got into difficulty on Saturday, bringing the number of deaths from illegal crossing attempts between France and the UK this year to at least 27.
Almost 900 migrants are believed to have crossed the Channel in small boats on Saturday, while around 33,000 have done so since the start of 2025.
An investigation will determine whether there is a link between the latest death and and attempted crossing near Equihen-Plage, a little further north from Boulogne-sur-Mer, the port town’s prosecutor Cécile Gressier told AFP.
There a 49-year-old woman was found suffering from hypothermia and was taken to hospital.
On Saturday, among the many attempted crossings on makeshift boats thanks to favourable weather, 14 required emergency services, the Maritime Prefecture of the Channel and North Sea (Prémar) said in a press release.
Despite the steady increase in French resources to prevent perilous crossings – with substantial financial support from the UK – there are no signs the attempts are slowing down.
The UK government has come under increased pressure over the number of small boats crossing into the UK and asylum seeker applications.
The number of people who have crossed the Channel illegally this year is a record, and more than 50,000 have crossed since Labour came into power in July 2024.
