A 27-year-old Sudanese national has been charged after four migrants, two men and two women, died while attempting to cross the English Channel in a small boat off the northern French coast.
Alnour Mohamed Ali was charged with endangering life under a new British immigration law, authorities said. He is accused of piloting a vessel linked to the incident and is scheduled to appear before Folkestone Magistrates’ Court.
Victims swept away while boarding ‘taxi boat’
The tragedy occurred on Thursday morning near Saint-Étienne-au-Mont, close to Calais, as migrants tried to board a small inflatable “taxi boat” used by smuggling networks.
French officials said the victims were swept away by strong and dangerous currents while already some distance into the sea. Rescue teams managed to pull dozens from the water, but four could not be saved.
Dozens rescued, many continue journey to UK
Around 38 people were rescued and brought back to the French shore, while 74 others continued the journey across the Channel to the United Kingdom, according to the UK’s National Crime Agency.
Authorities are now interviewing survivors to piece together the sequence of events that led to the deaths.
New UK law targets dangerous crossings
Ali has been charged under a recently introduced offence that criminalises endangering lives during sea crossings to the UK from France, Belgium or the Netherlands.
The law is part of broader efforts by British authorities to crack down on human smuggling networks operating across the Channel, one of the world’s busiest and most dangerous shipping routes.
The latest incident adds to a rising number of fatalities linked to small-boat crossings this year. More than 5,000 migrants have already attempted the journey in 2026, according to official data.
