Migrants crossing English Channel in small boats exceed 200,000 since 2018
Updated
Updated · BBC.com · May 9
Migrants crossing English Channel in small boats exceed 200,000 since 2018
10 articles · Updated · BBC.com · May 9
Home Office data said 70 people arrived in the UK on Friday in calm conditions, taking the cumulative total to 200,013.
Crossings have more than doubled over three years despite repeated pledges by Conservative and Labour governments to curb arrivals and disrupt smuggling gangs.
More than 7,380 people have crossed this year, 36% fewer than a year earlier; at least eight migrants have died in 2026 and about three in five processed asylum claims were granted.
As Channel crossings from Africa triple, can UK diplomacy in the region truly curb the new tide of migrants?
Why has the UK's asylum appeals backlog doubled to a record high, even as the initial application backlog has shrunk?
With new multi-million euro deals and policies, why have only 4% of small boat arrivals been returned since 2018?
Channel Crossings 2026: Trends, Tragedies, and the UK-France Response to Over 41,000 Migrant Arrivals
Overview
Undocumented migrant crossings in the English Channel remain a major challenge for the UK and France as of May 2026. Although French officials have reported a notable reduction in arrivals this year compared to 2025, the previous year saw about 41,472 people reach the UK by small boats—a sharp rise since 2020. This increase is partly linked to travel and trade disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite recent policy efforts and tragic incidents, such as the deaths of two migrants near Calais in April 2026, the crisis continues to highlight the dangers and complexities of Channel crossings.