A female migrant has died while attempting to cross the English Channel in a small boat on Saturday, the Home Office has confirmed. Border Force officers intercepted the dinghy entering UK waters and found the woman unresponsive. Despite medical assistance, she was pronounced dead at the scene.
Kent police were called to Western Docks in Dover at 3:11pm, alongside other emergency services. Officers are conducting initial enquiries following the death. A UK government spokesperson said: 'This afternoon, Border Security Command Maritime responded to a small boat that entered UK waters. On intercepting this boat, a migrant was found to be unresponsive. Despite medical assistance, we are deeply saddened to confirm that they have since died. Our thoughts are with all those affected.'
The incident comes amid a surge in Channel crossings this week. On Monday, 710 people arrived in the UK on 11 boats, averaging 65 people per dinghy. On Thursday, 392 people arrived on six boats. So far this year, just over 10,000 people have made the journey, a decrease compared to the same period last year.
In May, two women believed to be from Sudan, aged about 20, died while attempting to cross from France. French officials said their boat, carrying 82 people, ran aground on a beach in northern France. Two others died in April after a dinghy got into difficulty. Last year, at least 29 people died or went missing attempting the crossing, down from 83 in 2024.
Under a new UK-France deal signed in April, riot-trained police will be deployed to French beaches to prevent migrant crossings. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood signed the £662m three-year agreement, which funds drones, two helicopters, and a camera system to intercept people smugglers and migrants.
