A record 128 migrants arrived in Britain in a single small boat on Friday, marking an exceptionally risky journey across the Channel. The migrants were picked up mid-Channel after departing from France.
These inflatable dinghies, provided by people traffickers, are often unseaworthy and prone to capsizing. Home Office officials have previously referred to these vessels as ‘floating deathtraps,’ noting several fatal incidents involving them. The previous record for a single boat was 125 migrants in September of last year.
On Friday, a total of 225 migrants reached British shores across three dinghies. The cumulative number of Channel crossings has now surpassed 205,049 since the crisis began in 2018. This year's tally stands at 12,439, a decrease of 44 percent compared to the same period last year.
The number of arrivals is influenced by weather conditions, with strong spring winds previously thought to have suppressed crossings. However, authorities have also reported successes in dismantling people trafficking rings. In May, a joint operation involving Britain's National Crime Agency and German Federal Police seized more than 30 boats and over 20 outboard engines in Germany. Officials stated that if these boats had reached the French coast, they could have been used to transport more than 2,000 people to the UK illegally.
A Home Office spokesperson commented on the situation, stating that smuggling gangs are taking increased risks and cramming more people into unseaworthy boats. The spokesperson emphasized that these criminal gangs disregard safety, leading to lives being lost in the Channel. The government has signed a new agreement with France to prevent these journeys by increasing enforcement on beaches, building on over 45,000 attempted crossings that have been stopped since the election.