A single inflatable dinghy carrying roughly 140 migrants was rescued in the English Channel after launching from the Normandy coast overnight. The French coastguard reported that the vessel had requested assistance in UK waters and was subsequently seized by two RNLI boats from Bembridge and Yarmouth. The rescued migrants will be taken to shore in the United Kingdom.
The incident follows a recent meeting between UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham and French President Emmanuel Macron, where they discussed scaling up joint efforts to curb small‑boat crossings. In August, a record 230‑person dinghy successfully crossed the Channel, and this latest rescue underscores the continued use of large “mega dinghies” by smugglers.
The dinghy departed from the Bay of the Seine, about 170 miles from the usual launch points around Calais, and was shadowed for roughly ten hours by French rescue vessels. French authorities said the vessel was not safe to stop on the water, so they waited until it entered UK waters at lunchtime before RNLI lifeboats made the rescue.
On Sunday night in Portsmouth, protesters clashed with police near the Eastney Landing ferry port where occupants of small boats had been brought ashore. French officials noted the unusual departure point and the longer crossing distance.
The Home Office has highlighted that the government has prevented over 48,000 crossing attempts and seized 1,100 boats and engines since the election, while a payment‑by‑results deal with France will add 40% more boots on French beaches. A surge team of 45 extra police officers has also been deployed to tackle larger dinghies.
Between 1 January and 1 September 2026, a total of 16,513 people crossed the English Channel by small boat from France, the lowest since 2019. The trend toward larger vessels suggests smugglers are adapting to tighter policing around Calais.
