A man's body was recovered from the Channel near the northern French port city of Calais, on Monday, December 30, prosecutors said, the day after three migrants were killed attempting to reach Britain.
"The victim is a Black man aged around 30, yet to be identified at this stage," said Patrick Leleu, deputy prosecutor in Boulogne-sur-Mer. He added that a passer-by had spotted the body, floating in a "good state of preservation" in the water, from the beach at Sangatte, just west of Calais, with its state meaning that "the question of a link to this weekend's successful crossing arises."
The remains were found just over 500 meters from the scene of a Sunday's deadly accident, Sangatte mayor Guy Allemand said. At least three people were killed as a boat was setting off for Britain in the early morning, bringing the 2024 total channel death toll to 76.
Several groups of people had attempted to board an already-packed inflatable "small boat," according to Pas-de-Calais prefect Jacques Billant. The jostling and "panicked movement" that followed left around 40 people in the water, while the overloaded vessel continued its journey. Three adult men were declared dead after being recovered by a navy helicopter, just tens of meters away from the shoreline.