Record 230 Migrants Cross English Channel on Single Boat

A record number of 230 migrants, among them more than 20 children, made the perilous journey across the English Channel from the French coast in a single boat during the night of Sunday to Monday. The French sea rescue association (SNSM) in Berck-sur-Mer described the operation to assist the overcrowded vessel as "extraordinary."

“

A new and sad record for the number of people transported on these precarious vessels has just been broken.

"A new and sad record for the number of people transported on these precarious vessels has just been broken," the SNSM stated in a press release. This figure surpasses the previous record set in July, when 165 people crossed on a single makeshift boat. The scale of the crossing has been reported by British media outlets, including the BBC and PA news agency.

Jean-Marc Lamblin, director of the SNSM in Berck-sur-Mer, informed AFP that his teams escorted the boat to British waters before it was handed over to UK coast guard services. He noted an increasing trend in the size of boats used for these crossings, with 15-meter vessels becoming more common. "We passed the record of 150 not long ago, we didn't think there could be more, but there are really no limits anymore," he said.

“

We passed the record of 150 not long ago, we didn't think there could be more, but there are really no limits anymore.

British Prime Minister's spokesperson Andy Burnham condemned the "appalling" images, stating they "show the reality behind these ruthless smuggling gangs, ready to risk human lives for profit." According to British authorities, 14,819 people have crossed the Channel in small boats since the beginning of the year. Despite successive British governments promising to curb these clandestine crossings, the issue remains a significant political topic, fueling the rise of anti-immigration parties.

“

appalling images... show the reality behind these ruthless smuggling gangs, ready to risk human lives for profit.