Two Women Die, 16 Injured After Boat Carrying Migrants Runs Aground in Northern France

A desperate attempt to cross the English Channel from France to the United Kingdom ended in tragedy after a crowded migrant boat ran aground on a beach in northern France , leaving two women dead and at least 16 people injured , authorities said.

The vessel was carrying 82 people when it set off overnight from Hardelot beach , a few kilometres south of Boulogne sur Mer . Officials said the engine failed shortly after departure , causing the boat to drift before it eventually struck the shoreline.

French maritime rescue teams managed to save 17 people and brought them to Boulogne sur Mer for medical care. However, the remaining passengers were still on board when the boat grounded.

Authorities confirmed that two women , believed to be in their twenties and originally from Sudan , were found dead. Preliminary findings suggest they likely died from suffocation , with officials pointing to overcrowding as a recurring danger in such crossings.

Three of the injured victims are in critical condition with severe burns caused by fuel collected at the bottom of the boat.

A senior official in the Pas de Calais region , Christophe Marx, said an investigation has been launched.

This is the third deadly incident in just over a month involving migrant crossings along the northern French coast. Earlier cases also saw multiple deaths during attempts to board inflatable boats bound for the UK.

Despite a recent France UK agreement aimed at strengthening border surveillance and reducing crossings, the dangerous journeys continue. So far this year, more than 6,000 migrants have reached the United Kingdom via the Channel, though numbers are lower than last year.

Aid groups estimate at least 172 deaths in the region over the past three years , most occurring at sea, underlining the ongoing risks of the crossing attempt.