Sudanese drown when trying to reach the United Kingdom

A 16-year-old Sudanese teenager drowned trying to cross the English Channel using an inflatable toy and paddles as paddles. He was making a desperate attempt to reach the UK from France. The boy's body was found on Wednesday morning (19) on Sangatte Beach, just outside Calais in northern France.

A friend with whom he was trying to cross the Channel was found on the same beach at 1 am with hypothermia. He told the rescue team that his friend could not swim and was still in the water.

Authorities said the survivor later admitted that the two stole an inflatable toy boat from a cabin and that the float was accidentally pierced by a shovel that was being used as a paddle.

French coast guard officials said 41 people were rescued while RNLI crews brought other survivors and their boats to Dover.