The French marine authorities said that five migrants tragically died, and one is in serious condition while trying to reach Britain from northern France in frigid conditions.
More than 30 people were rescued, according to the marine prefecture.
The terrible deaths of these migrants are the first to be documented in the Channel this year. Tragically, four migrants died overnight, and a fifth corpse was found on the beach later, according to officials.
The tiny boat the party was using to attempt to reach a vessel near the tourist town of Wimereux ran into trouble at around 2 AM.
Responding swiftly to the situation, the crew of the Abeille Normandie, a French tow boat, saw what seemed like lifeless people in the sea. The water temperature was around nine degrees Celsius, according to the official.
An AFP journalist on the Wimereux embankment found shoes and garments abandoned by the refugees.
The report claims that some survivors wanted to leave and go to an accommodation center in Armentieres, so they made their way to the Dunkirk train station.
The Boulogne-sur-Mer public prosecutor’s office has reportedly launched an inquiry into many offenses, including aggravated manslaughter (AFP).
Autopsies will be performed to identify the cause of death, which might be heat shock or drowning, according to the prosecutor.
According to the marine prefecture, twelve people tragically died in 2023 while trying to cross the Channel.
Since its inception, the region around Calais has been a popular migration destination because of its position as the starting point for the most direct route to England.
Migrants from Rwanda who have entered the United Kingdom illegally have been the target of a government initiative to return them.
The awful loss of life in tiny boats crossing the Channel throughout the winter has deeply concerned Keir Starmer, leader of the Labour opposition and a possible future prime minister.
According to London, there was a 33% drop in the number of migrants crossing the Channel in small boats from continental Europe to Britain in 2023, with around 30,000 people completing the trek.
Migrants mostly come from Iraq, Eritrea, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, and Iran.
