Record 230 migrants cross English Channel in single small boat, French officials say

Britain has been grappling with how to curb the perilous and politically contentious crossings, which in recent years have seen tens of thousands of migrants arriving annually on the shores of southeast England. A record 230 migrants in one small boat crossed the English Channel to Britain, France's lifeboat service and UK media said on Monday, in the latest example of larger numbers of people packing into a single vessel. The 230, including more than 20 children, were counted aboard the rubber dinghy as it departed the northeastern French coast amid chaotic scenes late Sunday, the SNSM lifeboat service said in a statement posted online. The number breaks the previous record for a single boat, set last month when 165 people successfully crossed the busy shipping waterway. The SNSM said on Monday it was "a new and sad record for the number of people crammed onto these flimsy boats." A UK-bound dinghy carrying more than 150 people capsized in the Channel last week after its engine caught fire, prompting a major search-and-rescue operation. In the latest record-breaking journey, French lifeboats escorted the dinghy up to British waters, before being relieved by the British, Jean-Marc Lamblin, the SNSM's local branch director, told the AFP news agency. He noted the rubber dinghy was around 15 metres long. "For the past three months, we've been seeing more and more" of these 15-metre dinghies, Lamblin added. "We recently passed the record of 150 people; we didn't think there could be more, but now there really are no limits anymore." The UK interior ministry, which did not confirm the exact number aboard the boat, condemned the "the reckless and dangerous tactics employed by the criminal gangs facilitating these crossings." Prime Minister Andy Burnham's spokesperson said it was "shocking" to see "appalling images ... of young babies being put into these unseaworthy craft." "They show the reality behind the ruthless smuggling gangs that are prepared to risk human lives for profit," he added. Britain has been grappling with how to curb the perilous and politically contentious crossings, which in recent years have seen tens of thousands of migrants arriving annually on the shores of southeast England. Since taking power in 2024, centre-left Labour has sought to "smash the gangs" facilitating the journeys, including through increased cooperation with France. In April, London signed a new three-year deal with Paris over the crossings, agreeing to pay up to €766 million to boost French law enforcement. The UK government argues the strategy is working, noting year-on-year migrant small boat arrivals in the first half of 2026 were down more than 42% to just over 14,000 people. However, recent weeks have seen a spike, with a daily record for the year set on 29 July when 752 people crossed.