Four die trying to cross Channel after busiest day of 2026 for migrant crossings

Four migrants have died trying to cross the English Channel - after yesterday saw a record number of daily arrivals for 2026.

The French coastguard said it spotted a boat leaving the Dunkirk area around 6am and shortly after found three people unconscious onboard.

They were taken to land but were later pronounced dead despite resuscitation attempts.

A fourth person is thought to have drowned in a separate incident near Boulogne-sur-Mer.

Wednesday was the busiest day so far in 2026 for migrant crossings, with the Home Office saying 752 arrived in the UK in nine boats.

Images showed people running across the beach to clamber on to packed boats.

More than 900 people also made the journey in the five days following Andy Burnham starting as prime minister last week.

Speaking today, he said the government was making "significant progress" when you compare the numbers with last year.

"The removals are up too, though, and this is another part of the story that people need to understand," the prime minister said.

"There is progress being made on all fronts, but more is needed."

Numbers are indeed down on last year, according to the Home Office.

It says 14,128 migrants have arrived in small boats so far this year. That's 42% lower than this time in 2025, when it was 24,538.

The Home Office also says joint efforts with France have stopped 46,000 attempted crossings since Labour came to power.

The government did a deal with France in April in which it agreed to pay up to £660m - depending on results - to tackle the problem.

But critics still accuse France of not doing enough to intercept boats on the beach or stop people jumping aboard.

Police say once the boats are seaborne they aren't allowed to do anything as it's too dangerous for those on board.

One permitted tactic appears to be slashing the boats before they are put in the water.

However, the smuggler often launches in a quieter spot before picking up their passengers in the sea at a different location.

The Channel is hazardous as it's one of the busiest waterways in the world and conditions can be dire in bad weather.

Smugglers cram people on vessels that are often unseaworthy and not everyone has a proper lifejacket.

A 16-year-old girl and a woman from Sudan also died in May while trying to reach the UK in a small boat.

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The government says tackling the gangs that profit from the trade is essential to cutting the numbers.

Nearly all migrants claim asylum, saying their lives are in danger in their home countries - giving examples such as limits on free speech, religion, and sexuality.

However, critics believe many claims are spurious and that most are in fact economic migrants.

(c) Sky News 2026: Four die trying to cross Channel after busiest day of 2026 for migrant crossings