At least six Afghans died attempting to reach the United Kingdom via the Channel died on Saturday, August 12, after their boat capsized. A total of 59 survivors were rescued, according to French authorities, who reported an unconsolidated death toll on Sunday.
The number of crossings has increased in recent days. On Saturday alone, 509 migrants were detected crossing to the English coast in 10 makeshift boats (or "small boats"), according to the British Home Office. There were 756 on the previous Thursday, the highest daily tally since the start of the year. The authorities' count includes only those apprehended on arrival on British shores.
In 2022, a record year, 45,000 people attempted the crossing, despite the perils of the Strait of Dover. The highest single-day number was reached on August 22, with 1,295 migrants apprehended aboard 27 boats. Peaks generally correspond to periods with optimal weather conditions, but crossings are attempted all year round, including during the coldest months.
Channel crossings: 2023 numbers are on par with 2022
In 2022, five migrants died at sea and four were reported missing while attempting to reach the British coast from the northern coast of France. In November 2021, 27 migrants perished when their boat capsized.
Translation of an original article published in French on lemonde.fr; the publisher may only be liable for the French version.