The incident happened on Thursday.
(FILE PICTURE) Four people have died after a small boat sank in the Channel (Image: Getty)
Four migrants drowned after being swept away by strong currents while trying to cross the Channel. More than 40 people were rescued off the coast of northern France on Thursday morning.
French authorities said an investigation has been launched after two men and two women died as they tried to climb on to a dinghy at Equihen-Plage, near Boulogne-sur-mer. Two children were among those taken to hospital as a precaution afterwards and another person was treated for hypothermia. Government official Francois-Xavier Lauch, the prefect of Pas-de-Calais, told reporters the people who died were “already quite far into the sea”, adding: “The currents, which can be dangerous here, swept them away.”
“We sadly have to report four deaths this morning,” Mr Lauch told reporters on Thursday, adding they were attempting to board a “taxi-boat” – another term for dinghy – near the seaside town of Equihen-Plage.
“I have to commend the actions of our officers and firefighters who, as you know, are deployed every day to stop these crossings,” the prefect said.
Firefighters and intensive care units arrived at the scene at 07:30 local time (06:30 BST) were people were tended to.
A number of dinghies are currently at sea and being monitored by the French authorities, including a military helicopter, Mr Lauch added.
“The responsibility lies with the smugglers,” he told reporters.
Responding to reports that two men and two women have died after attempting to cross the English Channel in a small boat, a Government spokesperson said: “We are deeply saddened to hear about the deaths in French waters today.
Rescue vehicles and medical units gather on the beach to treat victims after an attempted crossing (Image: AFP via Getty Images)
“Every death in the Channel is a tragedy and a stark reminder of the dangers posed by criminal gangs exploiting vulnerable people for profit.
“We will continue working relentlessly with the French and our partners overseas to prevent these perilous journeys.
“The French authorities are leading the response to this incident and we are supporting their investigation.”
Traffickers have increasingly turned to so-called “taxi boats” over the past year, using motorised dinghies to collect migrants from beaches along the northern French and Belgian coastlines before heading for Britain.
The tactic has fuelled a surge in Channel crossings, with around 2,200 migrants making the perilous journey across one of the world’s busiest shipping routes in the first two months of 2026 alone, according to figures from the Migration Observatory at the University of Oxford.
After weeks of poor weather, conditions in the Channel have calmed over the last few days, leading to a rise in attempted crossings.