Body of young migrant found on French beach as crossings to UK rise

PARIS (AP) — French authorities announced the discovery Sunday of a body on a beach used as one of the launch points for migrants attempting the perilous sea crossing from northern France to the U.K on flimsy inflatable boats .

Attempted crossings and deaths have surged in recent days. The prefecture of northern France’s Pas-de-Calais region had previously reported that two women died Saturday before then, also saying that the body of a young man, “very likely” a migrant who had attempted the crossing overnight, was found Sunday morning on the long sandy beaches south of the port town of Boulogne-sur-Mer.

In less than 48 hours since Friday night, authorities counted 41 crossing attempts, some of them thwarted, along the Pas-de-Calais coastline that police patrol day and night, the prefec