Fifteen migrants have been saved so far and rescue and search operations are still under way, according to the regional administration for the Nord region.
They did not resume Wednesday morning because there was no chance of finding anyone still alive, according to an official with the French maritime agency for the Channel and North Sea region.
French investigators are questioning the survivors to determine exactly how many people were aboard and if any others might have drowned, the French maritime official said.
French maritime officials have rescued hundreds more in routine operations in the Channel, a busy shipping lane known for high winds and strong currents.
French authorities reported four migrant deaths in total in small boats crossing the Channel in 2019.