A woman has died after an overloaded dinghy suffered what Kent Police described as a "catastrophic deflation" about 10 miles (16km) off the coast of Dover on Tuesday, prompting a multi-agency rescue operation.
The incident occurred at about 12:30 BST when the UK Coastguard received reports of people in the water. A Border Force vessel, two lifeboats and a coastguard helicopter were dispatched to the scene, and a mayday call was issued to other shipping in the area. Several other people were pulled from the water; the woman who had been airlifted to Dover was later pronounced dead, police said.
Authorities said the group was believed to be migrants attempting the crossing in a small boat. About 500 people are thought to have made the Channel crossing on Tuesday, according to officials. HM Coastguard and local police continue to co-ordinate efforts to account for all those involved and to establish the circumstances of the boat's departure and condition.
Kent Police said an investigation has been opened into whether a migrant boat reached the Kent coast without being intercepted by Border Force. The force earlier this week detained five people near Kingsdown and passed them to immigration authorities, in the same period when more than 1,000 people were recorded arriving in the UK by small boat on Saturday.
A government spokesperson said ministers were "shocked and saddened by this tragic incident" and that their "immediate thoughts are with all of those who have been affected." The statement underlined the dangers of small boat crossings and said the government is working to prevent criminals exploiting vulnerable people. Downing Street added that the circumstances of the unreported arrival were being investigated and that the five people detained were placed under immigration control.
The Mediterranean-style crossings across the Channel have risen markedly in recent years. French authorities reported that 77 people died attempting the journey in 2024. UK Home Office figures show more than 30,000 people have reached the UK in small boats so far in 2025, and more than 50,000 have crossed since Labour took office in July 2024.
Since August, the UK and France have operated a "one in, one out" arrangement intended to return one person to France for each migrant agreed to remain in the UK with a strong asylum case. The policy has been cited by officials as part of efforts to discourage people-smuggling networks, but crossings have continued amid criticisms about enforcement and safety.
Border Force and the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) commonly bring those who make the crossing to shore; police, coastguard and immigration authorities then process arrivals. Investigations into this week's fatal incident and the reported un-intercepted landing are ongoing, and authorities said they will provide further information as enquiries progress.
Local and national agencies urged anyone with information about the incidents to contact Kent Police or HM Coastguard. The cases will also be the subject of inquiries into maritime safety, search-and-rescue procedures and the operation of border surveillance and interception measures in the Channel.