Two young women, believed to be of Sudanese origin, died on Sunday while attempting to reach Britain from northern France in a small boat, authorities said.
The women, aged around twenty, were on board a small boat carrying 82 people, Christophe Marx, a regional official, told reporters.
The boat set sail on Saturday night, but "the engine wouldn't start" and the vessel began to drift, Mr. Marx explained.
Seventeen people were rescued at sea and taken to the port of Boulogne-sur-Mer.
The boat, with the 65 people still on board, finally ran aground on a beach near Neufchâtel-Hardelot, about 12 kilometers south of Boulogne-sur-Mer, he said, adding that the victims were found "dead inside the boat."
Thirteen people with moderate injuries and three others with serious injuries, including burn victims, were taken to hospital.
They "are receiving treatment and will be questioned by border police to determine who is responsible for this crossing," Mr. Marx said.
He indicated that an investigation would confirm the nationality of the victims.
This is the third tragedy of this type in just over a month on the Franco-British border.
On April 1st, two migrants died off the coast of Gravelines, in northern France, while attempting to reach the United Kingdom.
On April 9, two men and two women died, swept away by the currents.
In 2025, at least 29 migrants died at sea in the region, according to an AFP tally based on official French and British sources.
Britain and France last month signed a new three-year agreement on security operations aimed at ending crossings.
France will increase the number of police officers and gendarmes patrolling along the coast, while the British government will increase its contribution to the costs.
According to French authorities, the number of arrivals in Great Britain since the beginning of the year has decreased considerably compared to 2025.
