More than 400 migrants were rescued at sea overnight from Wednesday to Thursday.
One man was recovered unconscious and did not survive, another is missing.
Thursday morning, the body of a migrant was also discovered on a beach in Pas-de-Calais.
During the night from Wednesday to Thursday, large numbers of migrants attempted to cross the Strait of Pas-de-Calais on board makeshift boats in order to reach Great Britain.
At least two people lost their lives there, we learned from several official sources.
The first drama occurred when "many boats" were in difficulty in the Strait of Pas-de-Calais, during the night from Wednesday to Thursday and throughout the day from Thursday until the evening.
Significant sea and air assets were deployed to rescue at least 400 migrants, some of whom were in the water after their boats sank.
Two dead and one missing at sea
During one of the rescue operations, an unconscious man was recovered from the water. Rescuers' attempts to resuscitate him were unsuccessful and the man was declared dead when he returned to the dock. During another rescue operation at night, the castaways reported that a man was missing, who fell overboard off the Pas-de-Calais. The missing person was searched in vain until late morning on Thursday.
It was also this Thursday morning, around 7 a.m., that the body of a migrant was found in a boat stranded on the beach of Wissant, in Pas-de-Calais.
Alongside the victim, the police discovered two men, alive, but in a state of severe hypothermia, a source familiar with the matter told AFP.
The causes of death are unknown.
An investigation for manslaughter was opened by the prosecution of Boulogne-sur-Mer.
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