Migrant Dies, Another Missing After Overcrowded Boat Breaks Apart in English Channel
Lille, France – May 19, 2025
A migrant died and another remains missing after an overloaded boat carrying asylum seekers attempting to cross the English Channel broke apart between Sunday night and early Monday morning, French authorities confirmed.
French rescue teams saved around 200 people from the water over a 24-hour period, with some evacuees suffering from severe hypothermia. Among the survivors were a child and his mother, both airlifted to a hospital in Boulogne-sur-Mer in northern France. An earlier rescue operation on Sunday brought 139 migrants safely to the port city of Calais.
The maritime prefecture said the vessel was heavily overloaded when it capsized, adding that the death toll highlights the ongoing risks faced by migrants attempting the dangerous sea crossing to the United Kingdom.
So far in 2025, at least 12 migrants have died attempting the journey. In 2024, a record 78 deaths were recorded during Channel crossings, the highest number since such attempts began increasing in 2018.
Authorities continue to warn of the grave dangers associated with crossing the English Channel aboard small, often unseaworthy, boats.
NEWS DESK
PRESS UPDATE