Summary
The Home Office reported a record number of "red days" in 2024-25, indicating favorable weather for small boat crossings in the English Channel. Alongside weather conditions, overcrowding in small boats has increased, contributing to a rise in migrant crossings this year.
Key Facts
- In 2024-25, there were 190 "red days" that favored small boat crossings, marking an 80% increase from the previous year.
- "Red days" are when the weather is likely or highly likely to support small boat crossings, as assessed by the Met Office.
- So far in the current year, 14,812 people have crossed in small boats, about 40% more than in the same period last year.
- Nearly 1,200 people crossed the Channel in small boats on one Saturday alone.
- The government links good weather conditions to the increase in crossings.
- Overcrowding on boats has increased, with 33 boats carrying 80 or more people in the year to April 2025, compared to 11 the previous year.
- The total number of boats used for crossings dropped from 1,116 in 2021-22 to 738 last year.
- The Home Office attributes the record number of deaths last year to overcrowding in unsafe boats orchestrated by people smugglers.
