A Kuwaiti migrant in his sixties has died while attempting to cross the English Channel in a small boat from northern France, French maritime authorities have confirmed.
The man suffered a cardiac arrest onboard the vessel, which had departed from Calais on Saturday morning.
The boat quickly returned to shore, but despite efforts from police and medics, the migrant was pronounced dead at the scene.
This marks the sixth recorded death in Channel crossings so far this year.
According to Home Office data, over 1,600 migrants crossed the Channel in small boats last week alone, with 51 people arriving on Friday.
A total of 3,720 crossings have been recorded so far this year, an 11% increase compared to the same period in 2024.
Last year saw a record number of fatalities among migrants attempting to reach England by sea. The Office for the Fight against Illicit Trafficking of Migrants (Oltim) reported that 78 people lost their lives in 2024, the highest number since such crossings began in 2018.
Authorities noted that the boat involved in Saturday’s incident was heavily loaded but did not specify the number of passengers onboard.
The UK and France have ramped up efforts to tackle illegal Channel crossings. Measures include increased patrols on French beaches, intercepting small boats, and targeting people-smuggling networks.
On 27 February, UK Home Secretary Yvette Cooper met with French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau to implement new strategies aimed at dismantling smuggling operations. These include:
– A specialist intelligence and judicial police unit in Dunkirk to accelerate the arrest and prosecution of smugglers.
– The deployment of drone pilots to help detect and intercept boats before they reach open waters.
Despite these efforts, French authorities will only intervene on land and will not stop boats once they are at sea.
The Home Office reiterated its commitment to ending dangerous crossings, stating that people-smuggling gangs continue to exploit vulnerable migrants, putting their lives at risk for financial gain.
