UK records 128 migrants on a single English Channel boat

British authorities reported that 225 migrants arrived in England on Friday aboard three small boats, with one vessel carrying 128 people – a new record that surpasses the previous high of 125 set in September 2025. The Home Office said, “Smuggling gangs are taking greater risks than ever, with the number of people they cram into unseaworthy boats rising year on year.”

Overall Channel crossings have fallen sharply; only 12,439 migrants arrived via the sea in the first half of 2026, a 41% decline compared with the same period in 2025. In response, the UK government signed a three‑year pact with France in April, allocating £662 million (about €771 million) to fund patrols on the northern French beaches from which the boats launch. Interior Secretary Shabana Mahmood also presented a parliamentary bill to reform the asylum and immigration system, aiming to deter illegal crossings and accelerate deportations.