A migrant man has died trying to cross the English Channel after a small boat capsized

PARIS — An Indian man in his 40s died early Sunday in northern France after the inflatable boat he and other migrants were boarding to cross the English Channel went down, French authorities said in a statement.

According to the Maritime Prefecture, which oversees French waters in the canal, this year has been the deadliest for migrants trying to cross in small boats since numbers began to rise sharply in 2018. The man’s death on Sunday brought this year’s toll to 56.

Around 5:30 a.m. local time, a group of migrants washed into the water near the town of Tardingen, about 15 miles (25 kilometers) west of Calais.

The boat, which “appeared to be in very poor condition,” went down immediately after setting sail, the statement said. “Migrants … returned to the beach swimming, but not all were equipped with life jackets.”

The Indian’s heart stopped. Police performed CPR on him on the beach, the statement said, but were unable to revive him. Proceedings have been opened.

It was just one of many attempts by migrants to cross the channel after the weather improved on Monday. Since then, local authorities have registered 57 attempts, 32 of which were stopped by law enforcement agencies.

The French coast around Calais has long been a point of departure for people fleeing conflict and poverty around the world and seeking to reach Britain, often through dangerous and sometimes deadly sea journeys through one of the world’s busiest shipping channels.

Increasingly strict asylum rules in Europe, growing xenophobia and hostility towards migrants are pushing many migrants north. Although the UK government has also been hostile, many migrants have family or friends in the UK and believe they will have more opportunities there.