An overloaded boat carrying migrants capsized while attempting to cross the English Channel and reach the UK. According to the French maritime prefecture of the Channel and the North Sea, one person died in the incident, while 62 others were rescued. Two of the survivors were airlifted to a hospital in Boulogne-sur-Mer.
The tragedy occurred amid a surge in illegal attempts to cross the Channel. On May 12 alone, French authorities rescued 192 migrants; one person also died during that operation. According to the French Office for Combating Illegal Immigration, 2023 was the deadliest year in the Channel since 2018, with 78 confirmed migrant deaths. In 2024, more than 36,800 migrants have already crossed the Channel—an increase of 25% compared to the previous year. The record was set in 2022, when over 45,700 migrants made the journey.
UK authorities continue to tighten immigration policies. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has stated that the government is committed to reducing migration levels, which he described as having reached an “uncontrolled” scale. The British government reportedly spends millions of pounds daily to house asylum seekers in hotels.
Following the UK’s departure from the EU in 2021 and the introduction of new visa rules, migration flows have significantly increased. From June 2023 to June 2024, net migration reached 728,000 people—compared to around 250,000 annually before Brexit.
