In a tragic turn of events, two individuals lost their lives early Saturday morning while attempting to cross the perilous English Channel. French authorities confirmed the incident, which occurred off the northern coast of France, where approximately 100 migrants embarked on a makeshift boat in hopes of reaching the UK. According to Isabelle Fradin-Thirode, a French official cited by AFP, 60 people were successfully rescued and are currently receiving care from civil protection services. Among the survivors, a couple and their child, suffering from moderate hypothermia, were urgently transported to a hospital in Boulogne. This latest tragedy unfolded south of the beaches of Neufchâtel-Hardelot in the Pas-de-Calais region, adding to the grim toll of at least 25 deaths recorded this year in similar crossing attempts. Earlier this month, three migrants died in a crush on an overcrowded boat off the coast of Calais. Last year, the French coastguard reported 50 fatalities during such crossings. Since the beginning of 2025, over 30,000 people have reached the UK via small boats, with more than 50,000 making the journey since the Labour Party came into power in July 2024. The UK government faces mounting pressure over the increasing number of small boat crossings and asylum seeker applications. In response, France and the UK recently agreed on a ‘one in, one out’ returns deal, aimed at deterring further crossings by allowing the UK to return one migrant to France for each migrant with a strong asylum case who is allowed to enter the UK. Sir Keir Starmer has condemned the crossings as ‘totally unacceptable,’ while Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has criticized the ‘vile’ people-smugglers responsible for the chaos at the borders.