Record 128 people cross Channel in one small boat
A record 128 migrants crossed the English Channel in a single small boat on Friday, contributing to a total of 225 arrivals that day. The UK Home Office condemned the smuggling gangs responsible for the dangerous conditions while highlighting a 44% decrease in total crossings compared to last year.
Why it matters
The record-breaking density of these crossings underscores the evolving tactics of human smuggling networks and the ongoing political challenge of managing Channel migration.
Image source, YOAN VALAT/EPA/Shutterstock Image caption, (Stock image) The previous record for the number of migrants on one vessel was 125
A small boat crossed the English Channel on Friday carrying 128 people, the largest-ever recorded number to make the journey in a single vessel.
The boat made the journey on Friday, when a total of 225 migrants crossed the Channel on three boats.
More than 12,000 people have reached the UK in small boats so far this year, a fall of 44% on the same period last year.
A Home Office spokesperson said: "Smuggling gangs are taking greater risks than ever, with the number of people they are cramming into unseaworthy boats rising year on year."
The previous record for the number of migrants in one vessel was 125.
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