165 migrants set new record crossing the English Channel in a single boat

On Thursday, a 13‑metre inflatable vessel nicknamed a “mega dinghy” arrived in Dover carrying 165 migrants, breaking the previous record of 128. Border Security Command towed the overloaded boat, while the UK Home Office confirmed that three vessels brought a total of 366 migrants to the British coast that day.

French rescue crews in Berck‑sur‑Mer escorted the same boat after it suffered damage during boarding, and a body was discovered on the nearby beach, prompting a criminal investigation into a possible link with the crossing. NGOs say the trend of ever larger boats makes the route increasingly dangerous, attributing the rise to smuggling gangs taking greater risks.

Earlier on the same day, UK coastguard rescuers saved two migrants who had rowed across the Channel in a tiny dinghy, bringing the day's individual crossings to 242. Officials warned that the growing size of migrant boats heightens the risk of capsizing and endangers passengers.

The surge follows a recent UK‑France agreement aimed at bolstering beach enforcement and stopping perilous journeys, while overall Channel crossing numbers have fallen by more than 40 % over the past year.