Woman Dies as Small Boat Crossings Hit 50k Since Labour Came to Power
The woman drowned while attempting to board an inflatable boat amid a 47% rise in Channel crossings this year, with over 50,000 arrivals recorded since last year, officials said.
- A woman drowned early Tuesday near Dunkirk while trying to get onto a boat crossing the English Channel to the UK.
- The incident occurred amid a surge in Channel crossings, which are 47% higher this year than at the same time in 2024.
- French authorities confirmed the death and lead the investigation, while UK officials defer to France and pursue a new 'one in, one out' return deal.
- Since Labour's election victory last year, over 50,000 people have crossed the English Channel to reach the UK by small boat, with 474 arrivals recorded on Monday and a total of 27,029 so far this year.
- The rising crossings and fatal drowning highlight ongoing risks and challenges, driving coordinated responses between the UK and France to manage migration safely.
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Woman dies crossing Channel as dangerous small boat journeys hit 50,000 under Labour
A woman has died after attempting to board a small boat crossing the English Channel, French authorities have confirmed.The tragedy occurred just hours before Home Office figures confirmed the number of small boat arrivals has reached 50,000 under Labour.The French coastguard confirmed the death of a migrant in the English Channel following reports that a young woman drowned whilst trying to mount a boat off a beach near Dunkirk in the early hou…
This is the 19th migrant person to die at sea since the beginning of the year during attempts to reach England by boat A migrant woman died in the night from Monday to Tuesday on

A migrant woman died in the night of Monday to Tuesday on the coast of the Northern Department, during an attempt to cross the Franco-British border, we learned from the prefecture.
On the night of August 11-12, 2025, a woman drowned trying to get into a taxi boat to England. Despite three attempts to resuscitate, the rescue could not save her.
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