Three dead, including child, in Channel crossing attempt

As of last Thursday, 18,565 people had made the Channel crossing this year, which is 42% lower than the same period in 2025 when 32,188 had crossed in small boats.

A 10-year-old child and two 30-year-old women have died after a small boat that was attempting to cross the English Channel got into difficulty off the northern coast of France, French authorities say.

In July last year, France and the UK agreed on a "one in, one out" returns deal, which was designed as a deterrent to stop boats from crossing the Channel.