A MIGRANT has tragically died while trying to cross the English Channel.
The RNLI confirmed it had launched its all-weather lifeboat and a group of migrants were brought to Dover in a Border Force boat this morning.
A migrant has reportedly died trying to cross the English Channel[/caption]
More than 700 migrants crossed the English Channel on Tuesday[/caption]
A Border Force boat picked up a group of refugees from the English Channel this morning[/caption]
What appeared to be a blue forensics tent could be seen outside the Lifeboats station.
It is not known at this stage exactly how many migrants arrived today but cops have confirmed one man has since been pronounced dead.
Kent police confirmed they were called at around 8.26am after Border Force patrol responded to a medical incident on the small vessel.
Officers have since launched an investigation to determine the exact cause of the man’s death.
In a statement police said: “Kent Police was called at 8.26am on Friday 18 April 2025 after a Border Force patrol responded to a medical emergency on a small boat in the English Channel. A man has since been pronounced deceased.
Officers have launched an investigation to establish the circumstances leading to the man’s death.
The priority remains to establish the man’s identity in order to notify his family.
Officers are currently at Dover Lifeboat Station while initial enquiries are underway.”
A spokesperson for RNLI said: “Dover RNLI’s all-weather lifeboat was tasked by HM Coastguard at 8.15am today (Friday 18 April) to an incident in the Channel.”
The death comes after more than 700 migrants crossed the English Channel on Tuesday in the highest number of arrivals on a single day so far this year.
Home Office provisional figures suggest 705 people made the journey in 12 boats.
Lat Saturday, 656 people made the crossing in 11 boats, which at the time was the highest daily number for the year.
Some 7,228 illegal migrants have now arrived since January — a 31 per cent rise on the same period last year.
Governments in Europe are getting tougher on the issue — and PM Sir Keir Starmer is being urged to copy a German plan to cut foreign aid to countries that refuse to take migrants back.
Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick previously said: “The German government is finally getting serious, and so must we.
“Currently our generosity is being abused.
“If foreign governments don’t co-operate with us to take back their nationals here illegally, then foreign aid should be suspended and withdrawn.
Smuggling gangs have been packing more and more on to the Channel boats in recent months — with as many as 70 people squeezed into a single vessel.
This follows the Home Secretary’s remarks last week, where she said smuggling gangs are so powerful the only major factor stopping their dangerous trade is wind and rain.
In an interview on the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg show, Ms Cooper said: “The really unacceptable situation we’re in is because of the way the criminal gangs have taken hold, our border security ends up being dependent on the weather.
“We cannot continue like this, where the number of calm days affects the number of crossings.”
Ms Cooper insisted “only a coordinated international response” across the whole migration route could effectively end the reign of the people smugglers.
She admitted the situation is unacceptable and cannot continue.