Astonishing picture shows 230 migrants crammed into ‘mega-dinghy’ as boat ‘buckles’ and 30 plunge into sea
The 'mega-dinghy' is thought to have roughly the same capacity as a Boeing 737
An inflatable boat that crossed the Channel carrying a record 230 migrants was “buckling” in the water and could have led to a tragedy, French rescuers have warned.
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The French lifeboat crew based at Berck-sur-Mer said the dingy was 15m (49ft) long, and already carrying around 50 passengers when it was spotted heading towards a beach to pick up more.
The number of passengers breaks the previous record from July when 165 people successfully made the crossing.
People smugglers have been increasing the number of migrants crammed into boats, a tactic the Government has condemned as “reckless and dangerous”.
The SNMS team, the equivalent of the UK’s RNLI, said around 30 people ended up in the water during the rush to climb onboard at around 5pm on Sunday.
Part of the group became cut off by the tide and had to be rescued, a translated statement said.
The crowded dinghy was described as “buckling under the swell” as it headed towards the UK.
The boat arrived in the UK overnight after departing French shores, with the 'mega-dinghy' thought to have roughly the same capacity as a Boeing 737.
The previous record number of people to have made the crossing on a single boat was 165 just last month.
It brings the total number of illegal Channel crossings to 15,049, with 224 small boats having so far crossed this year.
Border Force personnel intercepted the vessel alongside RNLI lifeboats ahead of it reaching the English coast.
The latest crossing follows a five-day period in which crossings were limited due to weather conditions.
Read more: Migrant dies trying to paraglide from Morocco to Ceuta - as fears grow of another surge
French police watched on over the weekend as a months-old baby was carried aboard a separate packed dinghy destined for the UK.
It comes as small boat crossings have fallen by 43% compared to the same period last year according to data.
In response, a Home Office spokesperson told LBC: "This latest incident demonstrates the reckless and dangerous tactics employed by the criminal gangs facilitating these crossings, who continue to put lives at risk by cramming ever greater numbers of people onto unseaworthy vessels.
“We are making progress, with the number of small boat crossings down this year and the lowest number recorded for the month of July since 2020.
“But we must go further, which is why we have signed a payment-by-results deal with the French to put 40% more boots on the ground on French beaches.”
BREAKING NEWS
— Nigel Farage (@Nigel_Farage) August 10, 2026
At 2.30am this morning a boat carrying 230 people was taken into Dover.
This is a record number in a single vessel.
It’s yet more proof that this illegal invasion is a national security emergency.
In response, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has said on X: "It's yet more proof that this illegal invasion is a national security emergency."
Joint efforts with the French have seen over 47,000 crossing attempts prevented, according to Government data, with around 1,100 boats and engines seized since Labour came to power.
The number of National Crime Agency (NCA) officers working on immigration crime has also doubled since the start of 2025.
It's arguably the biggest challenge facing Burnham in the coming weeks during peak season for migrant crossings.