A record 230 migrants, including more than 20 children, crossed the English Channel to Britain aboard a single small inflatable boat, French lifeboat officials and British media reported on Monday.
The overcrowded dinghy left the northeastern French coast late on Sunday amid chaotic scenes. At around 15 metres long, the rubber boat carried far more people than it was designed to hold, leaving passengers dangerously close to the water, according to Euro News.
French lifeboat crews escorted the vessel towards British waters before handing the operation over to their British counterparts, said Jean-Marc Lamblin, a local director of France’s SNSM lifeboat service.
The crossing broke the previous record set only last month, when 165 people reached Britain in one boat. The SNSM described the latest incident as a “new and sad record” for the number of people forced into such fragile vessels.
The journey came days after another boat carrying more than 150 people caught fire and capsized in the Channel. A large search-and-rescue operation was launched, highlighting once again the dangers faced by those attempting the crossing.
Britain’s Home Office did not confirm the exact number aboard the latest boat but condemned what it called the “reckless and dangerous tactics” of criminal gangs. A spokesperson for Prime Minister Andy Burnham described images of babies being placed in unseaworthy boats as “shocking”.
The record crossing has renewed pressure on the British government, which is trying to stop the journeys through closer cooperation with France. The two countries signed a new three-year agreement in April, with Britain agreeing to provide up to €766 million to strengthen French enforcement efforts.
Although arrivals were down by more than 42% in the first half of 2026, more than 14,000 people still crossed during that period. A daily record for the year was set on 29 July, when 752 people reached Britain.
