Two women died during an attempted Channel crossing from France to Britain when their small boat ran aground on a beach in northern France, according to local officials.

The boat was carrying 82 people at the time of the incident, a local official confirmed to media outlets. The vessel ran aground on a beach along France's northern coast.

The deaths add to the growing toll of fatalities associated with Channel crossings, as migrants continue to attempt the dangerous journey across the English Channel in small boats. The narrow waterway between France and Britain has become a major migration route in recent years.

French authorities have not yet released additional details about the circumstances of the deaths or the condition of the other passengers aboard the vessel. The incident represents the latest tragedy in what has become an increasingly perilous crossing route for those seeking to reach Britain from continental Europe.