A new record has been set for the number of people crossing the English Channel in a single small boat, with 128 individuals making the perilous journey on Friday. This vessel was one of three that brought a total of 225 people across the Channel that day, according to Home Office data.The previous record for a single boat stood at 125 people, set in September 2025.The figure, initially reported by the BBC, prompted a Home Office spokesperson to state that smuggling gangs are "taking greater risks than ever, with the number of people they are cramming into unseaworthy boats rising year on year."Despite this new peak for individual vessels, broader data indicates a decline in the overall number of migrants attempting the Channel crossing. Home Office figures reveal that 11,884 migrants arri