A migrant has died trying to cross the English Channel.
The RNLI confirmed it had launched its all-weather lifeboat and a group of people were brought to Dover in a Border Force boat on Friday morning.
In a statement, the RNLI said: “Dover RNLI’s all-weather lifeboat was tasked by HM Coastguard at 8.15 BST… to an incident in the Channel.”
A blue forensics tent has been set up outside the lifeboat station in Dover.
On Friday, 211 people crossed the English Channel on three small boats, Home Office data shows.
More than 9,000 people have crossed the English Channel on small boats so far in 2025, which means more arrivals have been recorded in January to April 2025 than in the equivalent four-month period in any year since data on Channel crossings began in 2018.
The death comes after more than 705 migrants crossed the English Channel in 12 boats on Tuesday in the highest number of arrivals on a single day so far this year.
In the last week, 1,871 migrants have crossed the English Channel on small boats.
This is 42% higher than at the same point last year, when the total stood at 6,265, and 81% higher than at this stage in 2023, when the total was 4,899.
The figures come as the government has vowed to crack down on people-smuggling across the Channel.
