France’s national sea rescue service has warned that there is “no limit” to the number of migrants people smugglers will place on a boat bound for Britain. The warning follows a record 230 people arriving in a single vessel in the early hours of Monday, the largest number ever recorded on one crossing.
Record crossing sparks warning
Jean-Marc Lamblin, director of the SNSM in Berck-sur-Mer, said that over the past three months they have seen increasing numbers of 15-metre lifeboats. He noted that they had previously broken the 150 mark, which they thought was the maximum, but “there really is no limit now.”
A photograph taken in northern France shows the 15-metre-long (49ft) inflatable vessel packed so tightly that several passengers had to sit with their legs hanging over the sides.
Interception and response
The boat was intercepted by Border Force, HM Coastguard, and the RNLI after reaching British waters, setting a new record by carrying more people than the previous high of 165 migrants recorded on a single crossing in July.
A Home Office spokesperson said: “This latest incident demonstrates the reckless and dangerous tactics employed by the criminal gangs facilitating these crossings, who continue to put lives at risk by cramming ever greater numbers of people on to unseaworthy vessels. We are making progress, with the number of small-boat crossings down this year and the lowest number recorded for the month of July since 2020. But we must go further, which is why we have signed a payment-by-results deal with the French to put 40% more boots on the ground on French beaches.”
Recent incidents and statistics
Last Tuesday, 173 migrants were rescued from a single boat after the vessel caught fire while attempting to cross the Channel.
A provisional 15,242 people have crossed the Channel so far this year, representing a 43% fall compared with the same period in 2025. The number of boats successfully making the journey has also dropped by 49%.
The Home Office recorded its lowest July total for Channel crossings since 2020 last month, the BBC reports.
