Mega-Dinghies and Local Fury: Record Channel Crossing Signals Smugglers' New Tactics

A single dinghy carrying 230 people—the highest number ever recorded in one vessel—crossed the English Channel in the early hours of Monday, marking a dramatic escalation in people smugglers' tactics. The 15-metre boat, so overloaded that passengers' legs dangled in the water, arrived despite a 43% drop in overall crossings compared to last year. French maritime officials described the vessel as "buckling," while a Home Office spokesperson condemned...