Single boat carries 128 migrants across English Channel, setting new record

A single overcrowded boat carrying 128 migrants crossed the English Channel on Friday, setting a new record for the most people on one vessel during the dangerous journey, according to Portuguese media reports. The previous record was 125 people on a single boat.

A total of 225 migrants reached the English coast on Friday in three separate boats, data from the UK Home Office cited by Agence France-Presse showed. One of those vessels held 128 people, as reported by the BBC, surpassing the previous high.

"a record for a single vessel on the dangerous crossing of the English Channel"

DNOTICIAS.PTEmbarcação sobrelotada com recorde de 128 migrantes atravessa Canal da Mancha

The phrase "dangerous crossing" underscores the risks migrants face in attempting the journey. Since January, 12,439 people have arrived in the United Kingdom by sea, as reported by Correio da Manhã.

The wooden or inflatable boats used are often dangerously overcrowded, with smugglers packing in as many people as possible to maximize profits. Authorities on both sides of the Channel continue to grapple with the numbers, which have remained high despite increased patrols and political pledges to stop the flow.