April 9 (UPI) -- Four people were killed and at least 42 others were rescued on Thursday after a small boat carrying asylum seekers attempting to get to England went down off the coast of the Pas-de-Calais area in northern France, authorities in France said.
The two men and two women died after being carried away by strong currents as they attempted to climb aboard a migrant "taxi-boat" to make the crossing, said Pas-de-Calais prefect Francois-Xavier Lauch.
"They were already quite far into the sea. The currents, which can be dangerous here, swept them away. This provisional toll -- and I insist that it is provisional -- states four deceased: two men, two women."
Lauch said the vessel plied the coasts of northern France and Belgium, collecting migrants and asylum seekers waiting on beaches to make the journey to England.
The incident occurred just south of Boulogne, between Equihen-Plage and Hardelot-Plage with the vessel, a rubber dinghy, continuing on its journey to England with about 30 people aboard.
