UK small boat crossings fall to 7-year summer low

The number of small boats carrying migrants across the English Channel during the summer fell to its lowest level since 2019, the British government said Tuesday.

“June, July and August recorded the lowest combined total for small boat crossings since 2019,” the Home Office said on US social media company X.

Some 102 boats were detected crossing the Channel from June 1 to Aug. 31 this year, marking the lowest summer total since 2019, when 57 vessels were recorded.

Last week, a Home Office spokesperson said the Labour government continues to combat dangerous small boat crossings, adding that joint efforts have prevented more than 48,000 crossing attempts and led to the seizure of 1,100 boats and engines since the election.

Meanwhile, during the first three months of the UK-France deal, French enforcement officers prevented 185 small boat events and 4,300 crossing attempts between April 27 and Aug. 2.

Some 16,400 migrants had crossed the Channel as of Aug. 28 this year, down 43% from the same period in 2025 and 17% from the same point in 2024, according to reports.