Two migrants died attempting to cross the English Channel, French authorities reported. Six others were rescued near Calais on Wednesday morning, with one taken to hospital for urgent care.
Key Takeaways
Two migrants died and six were rescued after their boat encountered difficulties off the coast of France while attempting to cross the English Channel. This incident occurred shortly after the UK and France extended talks on renewing a deal aimed at stopping small boat crossings.
- Two migrants drowned near Gravelines beach, with 30 others waiting to board boats
- Six rescued, one taken to hospital for urgent care
- UK signs two-month extension of £476m deal with France for extra patrols and disruption of smuggling gangs
- Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood seeks performance-related clauses linking funding to boat interceptions
The incident occurred shortly after the UK and France extended talks over renewing a deal aimed at stopping small boat crossings. The current agreement, set up by the previous Tory government in 2023, funds extra patrols and disruption of smuggling gangs.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood signed a two-month extension to the £476m deal while negotiations for a longer-term arrangement continue. The extension will cost the UK an additional £16.2 million.
The Home Office claims the deal has prevented 42,000 illegal migrants from reaching the UK, though overall crossings have continued to increase. In 2025, 41,472 people arrived in the UK by small boat, with 4,441 crossing between January and March 2026.
Refugee charity Care4Calais described the incident as a 'tragedy' and called for safe routes to be introduced so people can claim asylum in the UK. NGOs on both sides of the Channel argue that expensive deals to stop small boat crossings do not work and have led to an increase in deaths.
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