A 13-metre-long inflatable boat carrying 165 migrants — the largest number ever recorded in a single Channel crossing — was towed into Dover on Thursday afternoon, shattering the previous record of 128 set in July. Border Force vessels, a UK Coastguard aeroplane and the RNLI Dungeness lifeboat had scrambled to respond to what officials described as "small boats activity" in the Channel that morning.
The vessel, dubbed a "mega dinghy" and roughly the length of a standard bus, brought the total number of arrivals this week to more than 500 across six crossings — figures that have already been branded "Burnham's boats" by critics. Thursday alone saw 366 people land in three separate boats, while 172 more had made the journey on Wednesday, ending an 11-day hiatus caused by high winds. These were the first crossings since Andy Burnham became Prime Minister.
“165 migrants crossed in a single 'mega dinghy', breaking records, as weekly arrivals hit 500.”
Refugee charity Care4Calais warned the route is becoming "more and more dangerous" as smugglers cram more people into each boat. Chief operations officer Sydney Sopher said: "The UK and French governments have spent years focusing on border security and enforcement, yet all they've achieved is to make Channel crossings more and more dangerous. Just days ago a body was found on the beach in Berck, the latest victim of the hostile environment against refugees carried out by both nations. These are preventable tragedies."
A Home Office spokesperson defended the government's approach, stating: "Smuggling gangs are taking greater risks than ever with the number of people they are cramming into unseaworthy boats rising year on year. This crossing serves as a stark reminder that criminal gangs have no regard for the safety of those they claim to help – the reality is clear and lives are being lost in the Channel as a result." The spokesperson pointed to a new deal with France aimed at boosting enforcement on beaches, claiming it has helped stop over 45,000 attempted crossings since the election.
Press Association analysis of government data shows 77,183 migrants have arrived in the UK via the Channel since Labour's victory in July 2024. With no public statement from Burnham on how he intends to stem the flow, the prime minister faces mounting pressure to deliver on his pledge to "stop the boats" — a promise that, six weeks into his premiership, already looks increasingly fragile.