French authorities said that at least four people, two men and two women, died on Thursday as they were trying to get onboard an inflatable boat to attempt the perilous sea crossing from northern France to the U.K.
The prefect of the Pas-de-Calais region in northern France, François-Xavier Lauch, said 38 others were rescued, including one whose condition involved medical emergency. He spoke while rescue operations were still ongoing on Equihen Beach on Thursday morning.
