On Wednesday, more than 500 migrants crossed the Channel in a single day on a total of ten small boats. On Thursday 263 more arrived. One of those who crossed this week reportedly had to be hospitalized for stab wounds.
On Wednesday (March 20), 514 migrants were registered after crossing the Channel towards Britain on ten small boats, according to British government statistics. The numbers on that day reached a new daily record for this year.
A further 263 people crossed on March 21, according to UK government statistics.
Over 4,000 people have crossed the Channel since the beginning of 2024. Last year, in the same time period, from January 1 to March 20 3,683 migrants crossed from France to the UK on small boats.
On March 21, a BBC reporter, Simon Jones, who regularly reports on Channel crossings, said that due to continuing calm seas, he had been told that at least six small boats had come in to Dover. In recent months, the number of those on each boat has increased to between 30 and 50 per boat.
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Reported stabbing
One of those migrants who arrived in Dover on March 20 was reportedly taken to hospital with suspected stab wounds, Kent police said. A Kent Police spokesperson told PA news: "Kent Police received a report of a man with injuries consistent with stab wounds, following the arrival of a small boat at Dover Western Docks."
The man reportedly told the police he had been "assaulted on a beach near Calais by two men who then stayed in France while he made the crossing to the UK," continued the spokesperson.
"Details of the incident are being passed to authorities in France for further investigation."
After being taken to hospital for his injuries, the man was later discharged, reported the Independent newspaper.
French authorities carry out rescues
Also on March 21, French police said they had stopped at least four migrant boats from leaving the sands at Wimereux, south of Calais on the Channel coast. In a post on X, the French police said that they had arrested two people suspected of smuggling the groups.
The French prefecture responsible for the Channel and the North Sea (Préfecture maritime Manche et mer du Nord) posted on its X age an account of helping 113 people on March 20 in the Calais region. Unusually they also posted a picture along with the press release, which showed an overcrowded dinghy and several people in the sea.
In the accompanying press release, the French authorities said their rescue operations had begun during the night when they were informed that "several small boats had got into difficulty off the Calais area."
When they arrived near the first boat in trouble, off the coast of Gravelines, they found the motor wasn’t working, states the press release, but those on board “refused help at first.” Many migrants hope that they can make it across the territorial dividing line in the Channel so that the help they receive comes from the British authorities who by law are then compelled to bring them into port at Dover if found in British waters.
Motor stopped working
However, the French authorities said that a few hours later, they received a second call from the boat and 23 people on board were requesting assistance. Some continued to refuse help because in the meantime, they had got their engine going again and were going to try to continue to the UK.
The French authorities said that they had no choice but to let them continue, as trying to force them off the small boat could result in more problems, with people falling in the sea and potentially suffering from thermic shock or other injuries.
They did however continue to follow the boat from a safe distance to make sure they didn’t get into any more problems. Those who did leave the boat were brought back to port in Dunkirk, states the press release.
Later on that night, another rescue ship went to the help of a small boat off the coast of Sangatte. The authorities there rescued at least 64 people who had got into difficulty.
A second boat in the same area had also got into difficulty and 25 people, including several women and young children were taken off the boat. The rest of those on board refused assistance, say the French authorities, and so they were surveilled but allowed to continue on their way.
The 89 people taken off these two small boats, say the authorities, were taken back to the port of Boulogne-sur-Mer, where they were looked after by the emergency services and border police.
As morning broke, another patrol ship was called to help a migrant who had fallen ill on board a small boat. He was taken off the small boat, and his condition was reported as stable, as he was transported back to Calais.
Dangerous waters
The French authorities warn that the Channel is one of the busiest shipping routes in the world and that the attempt to cross it in a small boat without any radar equipment is highly dangerous. In addition to the high volume of ship traffic, the weather conditions in the area can turn very quickly. At least 120 days a year register winds reaching or exceeding a Force 7 on the Beaufort Wind Scale.
Force 7 corresponds to a "near gale" condition, states the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration website. This is characterized by the sea "heaping up" and the formation of white foam as breaking waves are blown in streaks along the direction of the wind.
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