'The journey across the English Channel in a small boat has always been perilous. But in 2024 it became more deadly.'
The Refugee Council has urged the government to prioritise saving refugees’ lives and increasing safe and legal routes into the UK, after a record 69 people died crossing the channel in 2024.
According to the charity’s new report, 2024 was the deadliest year for English Channel crossings in small boats, with the 69 deaths surpassing the 59 recorded between 2019 and 2023.
The report stated that while the government seems to have accepted that enforcement action against the smuggling gangs has made the crossings more dangerous, it has not announced any measures to improve search and rescue in the Channel.
The report, Deaths in the Channel: What needs to change, noted: “The journey across the English Channel in a small boat has always been perilous. But in 2024 it became more deadly.”
The increase in deaths is in part attributed to an increase in the average number of people per boat and boats being “increasingly unseaworthy”.
The organisation suggested that the increased risk is likely due to the UK and French governments’ enforcement measures aimed at disrupting the criminal gangs profiting from these dangerous crossings.
The Refugee Council also pointed out that the government does not publish official data on the number of people who die trying to reach the UK.
It called for the government to begin publishing quarterly figures on deaths during Channel crossings in small boats.
The charity also recommended that the government introduce a pilot refugee visa, allowing 10,000 people from countries with higher rates of asylum approval to travel to the UK for their claims to be processed.
Enver Solomon, CEO of the Refugee Council, said: “The record number of deaths in the Channel this year should serve as a stark reminder that the current approach is not working. Smuggling gangs are profiting from men, women and children forced into life-threatening conditions, and enforcement measures alone are not enough to address this.”
“More safe and legal routes are needed to provide a lifeline for those fleeing war and persecution. The success of the Ukraine schemes shows that when safe alternatives exist, refugees use them and don’t resort to incredibly dangerous journeys across the Channel.
“The Government also has a responsibility to invest in better search and rescue operations, in partnership with France, to prevent yet more deaths. Every person who lost their life in the Channel this year was someone with a story and loved ones – like 7-year-old Sara, who died boarding an overcrowded boat with her family.”
Solomon added: “These deaths are not inevitable. The government needs to take a different approach if it is to ensure everything possible is done so that 2025 does not see a repeat of last year’s devastating loss.”
Olivia Barber is a reporter at Left Foot Forward
To reach hundreds of thousands of new readers we need to grow our donor base substantially.
That's why in 2024, we are seeking to generate 150 additional regular donors to support Left Foot Forward's work.
We still need another 117 people to donate to hit the target. You can help. Donate today.