Overview

• A flotilla of 66 'Little Ships' commemorating the 85th anniversary of the Dunkirk evacuation was redirected to create a one-nautical-mile exclusion zone for a migrant dinghy on May 21.
• UK Border Force and the French Navy coordinated the diversion to ensure safe passage for the migrant vessel, which was escorted by a French Loire-class navy ship.
• Home Office data revealed that 825 migrants crossed the Channel that day, bringing the total arrivals since the general election to 36,811, a 37% year-on-year increase.
• French prosecutors have launched an inquiry into two fatalities from an overloaded dinghy, with judicial police pursuing the smugglers responsible for the crossing.
• Forecasts predict record Channel crossings in 2025, potentially reaching 45,000–50,000 migrants, intensifying debates over immigration policy and border management.