Britain warns of risk of mass deaths in the English Channel — The National

UK border security chief Duncan Capps has warned of the risk of mass deaths among migrants crossing the English Channel in small boats. During a hearing of the UK Parliament’s Home Affairs Committee, he said that the greatest concern is the increasing size of vessels and the number of people aboard.

As The National reports, a record 230 migrants were spotted this year on one boat described as a “mega inflatable”. According to Capps, a mass-casualty incident in the Channel is only a matter of time.

Routes through Normandy

Capps explained that smugglers are adapting their tactics in response to efforts by British and French authorities to restrict the supply of boats. According to him, they are moving south — from the areas of Dunkirk and Calais to Normandy — to avoid interception while transporting boats to the beaches from which departures take place.

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He described closing this route as one of the main tasks for the next two to three months in cooperation with French partners. The length of such a crossing is nearly 60 nautical miles, and attempts to cross the Channel in winter could, in Capps’s assessment, result in deaths.

Fewer arrivals, but higher risks

According to the publication, actions by British and French authorities have reduced the number of migrant arrivals to the lowest level since 2020; the figure could fall to the 2019 level. At the same time, the danger to asylum seekers is increasing because of overcrowded boats.

Capps also reported that around 3,800 migrants are currently in northern France, mostly in a camp near Dunkirk. This is about twice as many as around two years ago. The UK and France have concluded a three-year agreement worth £660 million to prevent small-boat crossings of the English Channel, which is linked to the reduction in the number of such arrivals.