A heartbreaking scene unfolded on a beach near Calais as a young family, believed to be from Eritrea, came terrifyingly close to drowning in a failed attempt to reach Britain in an overcrowded dinghy. The mum, dad, and their small children struggled through powerful currents trying to reach the boat but couldn’t make it in time, returning silently to the beach at Gravelines, around 15 miles from Calais.
Despite the near-tragedy, the family said they would try again to board what’s been dubbed a £1,200-a-head “taxi” across the Channel. Nearby, police officers stood on the shore, watching through binoculars. Some wore riot gear and carried pepper spray, but when asked why they didn’t step in as people, including children, waded into danger, one officer told The Sun: “It’s difficult.”
The dinghy had launched earlier, around 5 am, further up the coast. As it approached the beach, dozens of migrants dashed from the dunes to meet it. Men scrambled aboard first, followed by women and families, trying to lift children out of the crashing waves. One man barely kept his head above water, reaching desperately for the side of the dinghy. Another group clung to each other, battling to keep their kids safe in the surf.
While all of this unfolded, police officers largely stood back. One kept watch on the inflatable boat. Others stood chatting. One officer filmed the scene on his phone. Another casually puffed on a vape. At one point, the boat seemed too overloaded to move. The engine spluttered, the weight too much. Still, it eventually pulled away, leaving around ten people behind on the shore.
The boat paused briefly, sparking a flicker of hope among the stranded group, but it quickly became clear they weren’t getting on. The water had grown too deep. A suspected smuggler jumped from the boat and made his way back to the beach, abandoning those on board to the treacherous crossing.
The same smuggler was later seen leading the disappointed group back to a makeshift camp. By then, the police had already vanished. He turned aggressive when approached by The Sun, clearly unhappy at being seen.
The family who had nearly drowned said nothing when asked about the dangers of trying again, or why they’d risk their children’s lives. But one boy, believed to be under eight years old, gave a soft but gut-wrenching answer when asked if they’d try once more: “Yes.”
Not long after, another dinghy was spotted further down the coast, followed closely by a French warship. Between the two vessels, it’s believed around 150 people attempted the crossing that day. Photos from Dover later showed many of them in life jackets being escorted ashore by UK Border Force, though it’s not clear if they were the same ones from Gravelines.
So far this year, over 15,000 people have crossed the Channel illegally, already surpassing last year’s six-month figure of 13,489. Ten people have died attempting in 2025 alone.
Britain is paying France £476 million under a deal meant to prevent these crossings. But with French police often refusing to act once boats hit the water, questions are mounting over whether the arrangement is working.
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp didn’t hold back, calling it a “total loss of border control” and slamming Labour for inaction. “2025 is the worst year ever for small boat crossings so far,” he said. “While traffickers and criminal gangs rake in millions, Labour Ministers stand in Westminster rehearsing soundbites.”
The Home Office pointed to some progress, saying nearly 30,000 people with no right to stay have been returned, and illegal working arrests are up 42 per cent. But they admitted more needs to be done and appeared to close the door on the previous government’s heavily criticised Rwanda scheme, saying: “The Rwanda plan was not a deterrent. It did not lead to one person being forcibly removed and cost the taxpayer £700 million.”
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