French authorities reported rescuing 6,310 migrants attempting to cross the English Channel in 2024, marking a 30% increase from the previous year. According to Pas-de-Calais maritime officials, 72 people lost their lives, with three others missing.
However, Xavier Delrieu, head of France’s anti-smuggling task force, cited an even higher death toll of 78—the highest since small boat crossings surged in 2018. Delrieu leads a team of 157 investigators and 450 police officers working to dismantle smuggling networks.
Both France and the UK have pledged to crack down on smugglers, who charge migrants thousands of euros for dangerous crossings in overcrowded dinghies. The report noted that the average number of people per boat increased from 45 in 2023 to 54 in 2024, raising the risk of fatal asphyxiation.
Smugglers are also launching boats from farther south along the French coast, leading to longer, more hazardous journeys. Migrants often wade into freezing waters to board unstable vessels, only calling for help as a last resort.
Migrant rights groups argue that increased police surveillance is pushing migrants to take even greater risks. Meanwhile, French police recently arrested six people after the discovery of migrants’ bodies on a northern beach.
