At least 69 people died crossing the Channel in 2024, more than the 59 total deaths between 2019 and 2023
The Refugee Council released a new report this week highlighting the tragic loss of life in the English Channel in 2024 and calling for a new approach in 2025, with more safe and legal routes to be made available for refugees to reach the UK.
You can download the 8-page report here.
According to the report, at least 69 people died attempting to cross the Channel, making it the deadliest year on record for such crossings. The 69 deaths are more than the combined total between 2019 and 2023, during which time 59 people died. There is, however, no official data published on the number of people who die trying to reach the UK, and there have been no official investigations into why the number of people dying in the Channel grew so significantly in 2024.
The Refugee Council attributes the rise in deaths to several factors, including an increase in the average number of people per boat, the growing use of unseaworthy vessels, and the expansion of launch sites along the French coast.
The report states: "The change is almost certainly a result of UK and French government attempts to disrupt the criminal gangs who profit from the dangerous journeys and the focus on enforcement as the principal way of doing this. … Despite the link between increased enforcement and the rise in deaths being accepted, there has been no public statement from the UK Government regarding any plans to mitigate that impact. The new Government has focused on disrupting the criminal gangs further, but the various statements and policy documents since the election have not mentioned plans to, for example, bolster search and rescue capacity along the French coast."
In concluding, the report calls for steps be taken to improve the search and rescue capacity in the Channel, particularly close to the French coast, and for the UK Government to prioritise creating a clear strategy for more safe and legal routes.
The Refugee Council also recommends that the British and French governments should collect and publish quarterly data on Channel deaths, including information on age, sex, and nationality of the fatalities where known.
Enver Solomon, CEO of the Refugee Council, stated: "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 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."
Meanwhile, the UK Government announced this week that a major overhaul of serious crime laws will allow immediate action to be taken against people smuggling gangs. The Home Office says new Interim Orders will make it easier and faster for law enforcement to impose restrictions on suspects, even before a conviction. These measures aim to disrupt serious and organised crime at an early stage, strengthening efforts to prevent further criminal activity while investigations and prosecutions continue.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said: "Dangerous criminal people-smugglers are profiting from undermining our border security and putting lives at risk. They cannot be allowed to get away with it. Stronger international collaboration has already led to important arrests and action against dangerous gangs over the last few months. We will give law enforcement stronger powers they need to pursue and stop more of these vile gang networks."