The English Channel remains one of the deadliest migration routes, with overcrowded and unseaworthy boats often leading to tragic outcomes. Despite heightened patrols and increased rescue operations, migrants continue to risk their lives attempting the dangerous crossing between France and the United Kingdom.
French authorities reported that 230 migrants were rescued on Sunday, while the bodies of two men were discovered on a beach near Berck in Pas-de-Calais, as reported by AFP and Digi24. The victims are believed to have tried swimming to a small boat already launched offshore.
Coordinated Rescue Efforts Across the Channel
According to the Maritime Prefecture for the English Channel and the North Sea (Prémar), multiple rescue operations were conducted throughout Sunday. Early in the morning, 41 migrants stranded near Berck beach were saved by government services.
In a separate incident, 57 migrants aboard a deflated boat near Gravelines were rescued, with one unconscious passenger airlifted to a hospital in Boulogne-sur-Mer. Meanwhile, 38 migrants were rescued off Boulogne-sur-Mer by the vessel Minck. Another 19 people were saved by a rescue tug, Abeille Normandie.
A skiff carrying 40 migrants reportedly continued its journey toward British shores despite the risks. Additional operations led to the rescue of 42 migrants near Dunkerque, with two of the injured flown to a hospital. Later in the evening, the patrol ship Jeanne Barret rescued 33 people near the Somme Bay area.
Growing Death Toll in the Channel
French officials confirmed that 77 migrants died in 2024 while attempting to cross the English Channel—marking the highest number of fatalities since small-boat crossings intensified in 2018. Despite ongoing cooperation between France and the UK to deter illegal crossings, many migrants continue to attempt the perilous journey due to limited legal migration pathways and worsening humanitarian conditions in their countries of origin.
As efforts to curb the crossings intensify, advocates stress the importance of addressing the root causes driving these desperate attempts.
