A record number of children died attempting to cross the English Channel in 2024, according to new data from the United Nations’ International Organization for Migration (IOM). The figures, shared exclusively with The Guardian, have been described by officials as a “wake-up call” for urgent action on safe migration routes.
In total, 82 people lost their lives in the Channel last year, the highest number ever recorded. Among them were at least 14 children, a dramatic increase from just one child death in 2023. Officials believe the actual numbers could be even higher.
Sharp Rise in Channel Fatalities
The 2024 figures represent a threefold increase in overall deaths from the 24 recorded in 2023. Between 2018 and 2024, annual child fatalities in the Channel had ranged between one and five, making last year’s toll an alarming new high.
So far in 2025, five deaths have been reported, but none of them are believed to be children.
UN Calls for Urgent Action
In response to the crisis, UN Secretary-General António Guterres has recommended measures to reduce migrant deaths and disappearances, including:
• Access to humanitarian assistance for those in distress
• Improved data collection on missing persons
• Expanded safe migration routes to prevent dangerous crossings
The IOM has also raised concerns that even when children survive these perilous journeys, they often become separated from their families, with little support available to help them reunite.
Tragic Losses: Remembering the Children Who Died
Some of the 14 child victims from last year remain unidentified, but those whose names have been confirmed include:
• Obada Abd Rabbo (14) and Mohamed Al Jbawi (16) – Died in the same incident on January 14
• Rola Al Mayali (7) – Drowned when her boat capsized in a canal en route to the Channel
• Sara Al Ashimi (7) – Lost her life on April 23
• Maryam Bahez (1 month old) – Slipped from her father’s hands in an overloaded boat on October 17
Calls for Safe and Legal Migration Routes
Christa Rottensteiner, IOM’s Chief of Mission in the UK, emphasized the need for immediate action:
“The record high number of children who died in the English Channel last year is a wake-up call that more needs to be done. Many of these children came from war-torn or volatile countries. More safe and legal migration routes are urgently needed, along with proper support for separated children seeking their families.”
Dr. Wanda Wyporska, CEO of Safe Passage International, described the horrific conditions children endure during Channel crossings:
“Crossing the Channel in small, overcrowded boats is terrifying. Many children think they are going to die. Some have suffered painful petrol burns from broken engines, and others have been left traumatized by the fear of drowning. This is the direct result of the lack of safe routes—routes that could save children’s lives.”
What’s Next?
As the UK government faces mounting pressure to expand legal pathways for asylum seekers, campaigners continue to call for urgent reforms to prevent more unnecessary child deaths.
With Channel crossings showing no sign of slowing down, advocates stress that unless safer alternatives are provided, the humanitarian crisis will only worsen in 2025 and beyond.
