Migrant dies in channel crossing attempt

A migrant has died trying to cross the English Channel.

The RNLI confirmed it had launched its all-weather lifeboat and a group of people were brought to Dover in a Border Force boat on Friday morning.

In a statement, the RNLI said: "Dover RNLI's all-weather lifeboat was tasked by HM Coastguard at 8.15 BST... to an incident in the Channel."

On Friday, 211 people crossed the English Channel on three small boats, Home Office data said.

More than 9,000 people have crossed the English Channel on small boats so far in 2025, which means more arrivals have been recorded in January to April 2025 than in the equivalent four-month period in any year since data on Channel crossings began in 2018.

The death comes after more than 705 migrants crossed the English Channel in 12 boats on Tuesday in the highest number of arrivals on a single day so far this year.

In the last week, 1,871 migrants have crossed the English Channel on small boats.