How to buy a ‘mega-dinghy’: the perilous new model of Channel crossing

A Chinese company is reportedly willing to supply large dinghies for perilous Channel crossings, provided orders meet a minimum quantity of 20 vessels. The sales manager of the firm presented an online brochure to a Guardian reporter posing as a client, detailing their production capacity of 500 boats per month.

The company offers seven or even eight-meter military-style dinghies for approximately $1,678 each, excluding engines. However, these larger vessels would not come with CE certification, a mandatory mark indicating compliance with EU health and safety standards. This lack of certification raises further concerns about the safety of the vessels used for such dangerous journeys.

The trend of boats carrying hundreds of people across the Channel is described as clear and alarming. The availability of these larger, potentially uncertified vessels highlights a new and perilous model of crossing, raising questions about their origin and the logistics involved in facilitating such large-scale movements.