Record 128 migrants cross Channel in one boat, even as overall numbers drop
The boat was one of three that reached the United Kingdom on 10 July, carrying a total of 225 people, according to the British Home Office.
The record for the number of people on a single boat was 125, in September 2025.
Record crossing sparks alarm
The unusually high number of people on board has renewed concerns about the tactics used by criminal people smugglers.
"Smuggling networks are taking greater risks than ever, with the number of people they cram into unseaworthy boats increasing year on year," the Home Office told the AFP news agency.
Mild weather conditions are expected to encourage smugglers to send more people across the Channel from France – and to a lesser extent from Belgium – in the coming days and weeks.
However, the single boat record is an exception, as the overall number of people crossing the Channel from France – and to a smaller extent from Belgium – has fallen this year.
According to Home Office figures published in early July, 12,439 people arrived in the UK on small boats since the start of the year – 41 per cent fewer than the same period the previous year.
Smuggling risks keep rising
The British government has committed to measures to reduce irregular migration and disrupt criminal smuggling operations, including a three-year deal with France signed in April that would see France boost patrols on its beaches, in exchange for up to €766 million.
EU steps up Channel migrant crackdown with more staff and surveillance
The government has also sought closer collaboration with European partners to limit smugglers' access to boats, engines and other equipment used in Channel crossings.
Earlier this month, the Labour government introduced an immigration bill to Parliament to reform the asylum system.
(with AFP)