The English Channel has been making headlines due to the increasing number of migrants attempting to cross its waters in small boats from France to the UK. Tragic incidents, including boat capsizes resulting in deaths and rescues, have drawn attention to the dangers faced by migrants on this perilous journey. The issue has sparked debates on immigration policies, border security, and humanitarian concerns, with calls for action to address the situation.
The English Channel, also known simply as the Channel, is a body of water that separates Southern England from northern France, connecting the North Sea to the Atlantic Ocean. It is approximately 350 miles long and varies in width from 150 miles at its widest point to just 21 miles at the Strait of Dover. The Channel is one of the busiest shipping areas in the world, with a significant amount of maritime traffic passing through its waters. It has a rich history, playing a strategic role in various military conflicts and serving as a vital transportation route for trade and travel between the UK and continental Europe.
-
The former minister appeals to Rishi Sunak to "change course", telling Sky News that getting tougher on immigration is "an entirely mainstream view".
-
Whether it’s the economy, migration, welfare or the defence of our realm, Labour is nowhere to be seen
-
Home Office figures show 7,567 migrants have arrived in the UK by small boats so far this year.
-
Five migrants, including a child, were killed in a crush on board a boat crossing the Channel.
-
Reform UK's Ben Habib had suggested some travelling in small boats should be left to drown.
-
A total of 791 migrants made the journey on 30 and 31 March, according to the Home Office.
-
Pictures show the children wrapped in blankets as they were brought to safety following the perilous journey across the English Channel
-
Some 29,000 people reached the UK in small boats in 2023, despite the British government saying that stopping them was a priority.
-
Authorities in northern France say a young girl died on Sunday after a small boat capsized on the treacherous English Channel crossing route used by migrants hoping to reach Britain from France.
-
One migrant has died and two are missing after their boat got into difficulty in the Channel while crossing from France to Britain.
-
Ibrahima Bah sentenced to at least six years in prison for manslaughter after piloting a small boat across the English Channel, during which at least four passengers drowned.
-
Two people died and three were rescued from the water after a boat overturned near the southeast Alaska city of Sitka.
-
Four migrants died and dozens were rescued in a tragic attempt to cross the English Channel from France to the UK.
-
The number of migrants crossing the English Channel in 2023 fell by more than a third from the previous year.
-
A wildcat strike by Eurotunnel staff in France has led to the cancellation of Eurostar and Eurotunnel services, affecting thousands of passengers traveling between the UK and continental Europe.
-
A migrant boat carrying over 60 people capsized in the English Channel, resulting in one death and one critical injury.
-
Two migrants drowned and several others were rescued after a dinghy capsized in the English Channel while attempting to cross from France to the UK.
-
Independent inquiries have been launched into maritime tragedies involving migrant boats in the English Channel, including the drowning of at least 27 people in 2021.
-
A study indicates that the majority of small-boat migrants in the UK are likely to be left in limbo indefinitely, as they would be recognized as refugees if their applications were processed.
-
Six migrant women were trapped inside a refrigerated truck in northern France, believing it was heading to the UK or Ireland, but it was actually going the opposite way.