Two migrants killled in failed channel crossing attempt from France to UK

Two women died after a boat carrying migrants trying to cross to ‌Britain from France capsized near Calais, the local French administration said on Sunday.

"We regret to say that we found two people, two women, who had died," said Christophe Marx, an official for the Pas-de-Calais administration, adding that authorities had rescued the others.

As reported by French authorities, women died after a vessel carrying 82 people suffered engine trouble before running aground off Calais.

The boat set out to sea during the night from Saturday to Sunday, but “the engine wouldn’t start," and the boat began to drift, Marx said. Seventeen people were rescued at sea and taken to the port of Boulogne-sur-Mer.

While the boat with the remaining people on board eventually ran aground on a beach near Neufchatel-Hardelot, about 12 km (7 miles) south of Boulogne-sur-Mer, he said, adding that the victims had been found “dead inside the boat."

They are believed to have been “crushed or asphyxiated as unfortunately often happens on boats … where too many people are packed in," he said.

The deaths highlight the difficulties faced by Britain and France over tackling small boats transporting migrants illegally across the English ‌Channel, while concerns over immigration numbers have driven up support for parties such as Reform UK and France's National Rally (RN) party.

Last month, Britain said it would pay France up to 660 million pounds ($895.8 million) under a three-year border security deal to try to clamp down on illegal migrant crossings of the Channel, with part of the funding contingent on results.