Child among three killed off French coast in Channel crossing attempt

What the report says

French authorities said three people, including a child, died off the northern coast of France after a migrant dinghy tried to cross the English Channel to the United Kingdom. According to France’s maritime police, the inflatable boat was carrying 105 people when it sent a distress call after encountering trouble in calm seas.

The incident took place off Wissant, a seaside village near Calais. Officials described the vessel as a so-called “taxi boat,” a term used for small dinghies that approach beaches to pick up migrants in shallow water. The maritime prefecture said all passengers asked for rescue and were taken into care, and that the dinghy did not sink.

AFP reported that a rescue boat later arrived in Calais, where rescued passengers were disembarked. The report also noted that the Channel crossing remains a dangerous route: at least 29 migrants died last year trying to make the journey, while more than 41,000 attempted it.

The broader political dispute around Channel crossings continues in Britain and France, with governments under pressure to reduce arrivals and anti-immigration activists making the issue a major campaign topic. Al Jazeera also noted that France and the UK signed an agreement in April to strengthen anti-crossing operations.