Manslaughter arrest after death on small boat crossing

PA Media

A 32-year-old man from Syria has been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter after a woman died on a small boat attempting to reach the UK.

The migrant was found unresponsive on a boat which had entered UK waters in the English Channel on Saturday, and died despite receiving medical help, the Home Office said.

Kent Police was called to the Western Docks in Dover at about 15:10 BST, where the woman was declared deceased.

The force said it was working to identify the woman and contact her next of kin. The arrested man remains in custody.

The government said: “This latest tragedy underlines the terrible dangers of small boat crossings. We continue to work relentlessly with the French and our partners overseas to prevent these perilous journeys.”

The Home Office said its thoughts were with all those affected.

On Monday, 710 people crossed the Channel on 11 small boats – which was the highest number in a single day so far in 2026.

At that point, a total of 9,852 people had made the journey so far this year – a fall of 40% compared with the same period in 2025.

Since Monday, at least 798 people on 11 small boats had crossed the Channel.

The Home Office had said it was “bearing down” on small boat crossings.

In April, the UK and France confirmed a new £662m deal to stop migrants from crossing the Channel.

The Home Office said a landmark deal was signed with France to boost “enforcement action on beaches and put people smugglers behind bars”.

It involves France using millions of pounds worth of drones, two helicopters and a camera system to intercept people smugglers and illegal migrants.

As part of the deal, riot-trained police are also being sent to French beaches.

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