46 people have been rescued alive, according to French marine officials, and the search and rescue effort is still going on.
The Boulogne-sur-Mer prosecutor has begun an investigation.
It follows the death of a newborn on Thursday night when a boat sank while trying to cross the Channel.
According to officials, the search was initiated after a member of the public noticed a life jacket at sea.
In the first search, about 48 individuals were found, and two unconscious persons were taken on a rescue ship and given first assistance.
Along with a medical team sent to Calais, the rescue effort involved the use of two boats and a helicopter.
While the search for those who might still be lost at sea went on, border police and ground rescue personnel were tending to those who had been rescued, authorities said.
A United Nations organization claims that 2024 is already the deadliest year for migrant crossings in the English Channel.
On September 3, a boat carrying dozens of passengers capsized off the coast of France, killing 12 people, including six children and a pregnant lady.
After apparently being “trampled to death” on two different boats, four people—including a two-year-old boy—died a month later.
The most recent sinking raises the total number of migrant fatalities.
