230 Migrants Set Channel Record on 49ft Dinghy as UK Papers Warn of Bigger Boats
Updated
Updated · bbc.co.uk · Aug 10
230 Migrants Set Channel Record on 49ft Dinghy as UK Papers Warn of Bigger Boats
3 articles · Updated · bbc.co.uk · Aug 10
Summary
A 49-foot dinghy carrying 230 migrants crossed the English Channel to the UK, setting a record for a single vessel and intensifying scrutiny of boat overcrowding.
The crossing beat the previous one-boat record of 165 set in July, after criminal gangs were already accused of packing asylum seekers onto unsafe craft.
French lifeboat officials warned more migrants could be piled onto larger "mega-dinghies," suggesting the tactic may spread beyond a single record voyage.
The Home Office said small-boat crossings are down this year and July saw the lowest monthly total since 2020, pushing back against opposition claims that the crisis is worsening.