Two young women, believed to be of Sudanese origin, died on Sunday while attempting to reach Britain from northern France in a small boat, officials said.
The women, both aged around 20, were among 82 people on board the vessel, according to regional government official Christophe Marx, who spoke to reporters.
The boat departed overnight from Saturday to Sunday, but encountered trouble when its engine failed to start, causing it to drift at sea, Marx explained.
Seventeen people were rescued at sea and transported to the port of Boulogne-sur-Mer.
The remaining 65 passengers stayed on the boat, which later ran aground on a beach near Neufchatel-Hardelot, located about 12 kilometres south of Boulogne-sur-Mer. Authorities said the two victims were found dead inside the vessel.
Thirteen people sustained moderate injuries, while three others suffered serious wounds, including burns, and were taken to hospital for treatment.
“They are being treated and will be interviewed by border police to determine who is responsible for this crossing,” Marx said.
He added that an investigation would confirm the victims’ nationality. The incident marks the third such tragedy in just over a month along the French-British border.
On April 1, two migrants died off the coast of Gravelines in northern France while attempting to reach the United Kingdom.
On April 9, another four people — two men and two women — died after being swept away by strong currents.
According to an AFP tally based on official French and British data, at least 29 migrants died at sea in the region in 2025.
Last month, Britain and France signed a new three-year agreement to strengthen security operations aimed at preventing such crossings.
Under the deal, France will deploy more police and gendarmes to patrol its coastline, while the British government will increase its financial contribution to support these efforts.
French officials also noted that the number of arrivals in Britain so far this year has dropped significantly compared to 2025.