Three people have died trying to cross the English Channel from France, while more than 850 migrants managed to reach England on Christmas Day and Boxing Day, following an 11-day period without any arrivals.
At least three people were confirmed to have died while attempting to cross the English Channel from northern France, the Associated Press reported today (December 30).
French emergency rescue teams reportedly pulled three unconscious people from the water and tried to resuscitate them.
Jacques Billant, the prefect of Pas-de-Calais, said in a press conference that overcrowding on the boat may have contributed to the tragedy.
Around 50 people had been found stranded in the water and on the beach near Sangatte, a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department on the northern coast of France.
Emergency teams rescued 45 individuals, including four who had to be taken to transported to hospital.
More than 850 people arrive in two days
The news comes in the wake of more than 850 migrants succeeding in crossing the English Channel from France on Christmas Day and Boxing Day, after an 11-day period without any irregular arrivals.
On Christmas Day, 451 people made the crossing in 11 small boats. The following day, on Boxing Day, another 407 people arrived in 10 small boats, bringing the total number of arrivals to 858 across the two public holidays.
The last recorded arrivals before then were on December 14, when 160 people crossed over from France in three boats.
According to figures from the United Kingdom Home Office, the total number of people who have managed to reach the UK on small boats this year is just shy of 35,900 — marking an increase of nearly 22 percent from 2023.
In a statement on their website, a spokesperson for the UK Home Office said: "We all want to end dangerous small boat crossings, which threaten lives and undermine our border security.
"The people-smuggling gangs do not care if the vulnerable people they exploit live or die, as long as they pay. We will stop at nothing to dismantle their business models and bring them to justice."
A perilous migrant route
The English Channel separates Southern England from northern France, and is one of the world's busiest shipping lanes. It is a popular yet perilous route for people who attempt to reach the UK using irregular means of travel.
Crossings made during the wintertime can be particularly dangerous on dinghies and small boats. The typically overcrowded vessels are no match for the strong currents of the Channel.
Smugglers are now also increasingly resorting to traveling in deep waters in an attempt to evade interceptions by French police.
In 2024, 73 people were reported to have died attempting to cross the Channel, making it the deadliest year for such journeys on record.
Read AlsoChannel migration: Over 850 people cross to UK over Christmas period
Extensive smuggling trail
A recent BBC investigation meanwhile has found that Germany has become a pivotal transit point in migrant smuggling routes to the UK.
People smugglers operate an extensive supply route responsible for the small boat arrivals into the UK. The trail was found to begin in Turkey, going past Eastern Europe to Germany.
The western German city of Essen, locate about 400 kilometers away from Calais, France, was found to be the starting point many migrants seeking to cross the English Channel on small boats.
Read AlsoChannel crossings: Investigation uncovers elaborate supply route across Turkey, Germany and France