Two migrants died overnight while attempting to cross the English Channel to Britain, French authorities reported on September 27, 2025.
About 100 people were trying to reach the UK on a makeshift boat south of the beaches of Neuchâtel-Hardelot when the incident occurred.
The incident brings the number of Channel crossing deaths to at least 25 this year, according to an AFP tally based on official data. Rescue teams managed to save around 60 others who “are currently being taken care of”, said Isabelle Fradin-Thirode, an official in nearby Montreuil-sur-Mer.
Since January, a record 31,000 migrants have arrived in Britain by crossing the Channel in small boats. Under a recent Franco-British scheme, the UK can return migrants deemed ineligible for asylum, including those who have passed through a “safe country” to reach UK shores.
The tragedy has reignited debate over immigration policies and border security between France and the UK. British Home Secretary James Cartlidge described the deaths as “deeply saddening” and called for “tougher action against smuggling networks.”
French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin echoed the sentiment, stating that smugglers “are putting lives at risk daily. We must step up cross-border cooperation to dismantle their operations”.
Aid groups, including Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) and Utopia 56, have criticized both governments for failing to provide safe migration alternatives, accusing them of prioritizing deterrence over human lives.
The incident highlights the ongoing risks faced by migrants attempting to cross the Channel, with many years losing their lives in the process. As the situation continues to unfold, concerns about the humanitarian response and policy approaches to migration remain paramount.
