Hundreds of Migrants Cross the Channel Amid Surge in Small Boat Arrivals

Several small boats carrying migrants, including children, crossed the English Channel on Saturday—the first such crossings in a week. At least six boats are believed to have departed from France, with French police observed monitoring one launch near Gravelines, between Calais and Dunkirk, before later escorting the vessels.

Although France has committed to adjusting its policies to allow police to intervene once migrants are in the water, these changes have yet to be implemented. UK Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has been urging French authorities to expedite the process, enabling quicker intervention in shallow waters.

A Home Office source emphasized the importance of this shift: “We’ve built strong cooperation with France, and their agreement to act once boats are in the water is a crucial step that now needs to be operational.”

On Saturday, the UK coastguard responded to multiple incidents in the Channel, issuing calls for assistance from nearby vessels, including fishing boats, to help boats in distress. The coastguard stated this is standard procedure and reassured the public that safety was never at risk.

May 21 saw the year’s highest single-day arrival count so far—825 migrants. Over 13,000 people have crossed in 2025 to date, marking a 30% increase from this time last year. The Home Office attributes the increase, in part, to favorable weather conditions, with Saturday seeing temperatures reach 26°C.

The Government has vowed to tackle illegal crossings, focusing efforts on dismantling smuggling networks through enhanced intelligence sharing, expanded enforcement in northern France, and new measures under the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill.

A Home Office spokesperson said: “These dangerous crossings endanger lives and compromise border security. Smuggling gangs exploit the vulnerable with no regard for their safety. We are committed to breaking these networks and ensuring the integrity of our borders.”

Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp criticized Labour’s handling of the crisis, claiming the Government has “lost control” of the borders. He pointed to the scrapping of the Rwanda plan and described the current situation as “chaos on the high seas,” with border forces overwhelmed and the highest crossings on record already observed this year.

“This is a day of shame for Labour,” Philp said. “Their failure to act has left Britain paying the price.”