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A person has died after a small “overloaded” boat sank while attempting to cross the English Channel, French authorities have said.<\/p>\n
A total of 62 people were rescued from the water after the boat broke up overnight on Sunday to Monday, the Maritime Prefect of the Channel and the North Sea said.<\/p>\n
A French Navy helicopter helping with the search spotted an unconscious person in the water, who was subsequently declared dead by the medical team on board a French assistance and rescue intervention tug, French authorities said.<\/p>\n
A mother and her baby were taken to hospital in Boulogne-sur-Mer, in France, with hypothermia.<\/p>\n
The French tug recovered 50 people, the RNLI recovered two people and the Border Force Ranger recovered nine people.<\/p>\n
The other rescued people were taken to Boulogne-sur-Mer quay and taken care of by the land rescue services.<\/p>\n
A migrant also died trying to cross the Channel in April<\/a>.<\/p>\n As of last month, more than 9,000 people had crossed the English Channel on small boats in 2025.<\/p>\n This was 42% higher than at the same point in 2024, when the total stood at 6,265, and 81% higher than at the same stage in 2023, when the total was 4,899.<\/p>\n Home Office figures show more people arrived in small boats between January and April 2025 than in the same four-month period in any year since data on Channel crossings began in 2018.<\/p>\n The figures come as the government has vowed to crack down on people-smuggling across the Channel.<\/p>\n Follow BBC Kent on <\/em>Facebook<\/em><\/a>, on <\/em>X<\/em><\/a>, and on <\/em>Instagram<\/em><\/a>. Send your story ideas to <\/em>southeasttoday@bbc.co.uk<\/em><\/a> or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250.<\/em><\/p>\nCrossings this year<\/h2>\n
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