Five migrants died trying to reach the UK coast from northern France despite freezing temperatures, France’s maritime authority reported.
The group were trying to reach a vessel off Wimereux when their small boat got into difficulty at around 2am.
We have four dead migrants and one migrant in a critical condition at the hospital in Boulogne-sur-mer, according to one official, later said a fifth migrant was found dead on Sunday morning.
The region around Calais, a shortcut to Britain, has long been a draw for migrants. Hundreds of people still live in tents and temporary shelters around Calais and Dunkirk, hoping for a chance to cross by hiding in a lorry or aboard a small boat.
Boats are a political priority for the British government and a point of contention with France as tens of thousands of people a year make this dangerous crossing.
In 2023, nearly 30,000 migrants crossed the Channel from mainland Europe to Britain in small boats, the British government claimed.
