UK: Channel Crossings Surge as Smuggling Routes Shift to Belgium
19th April 2026
Nearly 600 migrants crossed the English Channel on Saturday, April 18th as criminal smuggling networks expanded their operations beyond France and began launching additional boats from Belgian beaches.
According to figures cited by Border Force sources, at least 250 people are understood to have departed from Belgian coastal areas during the day, while further crossings from northern France meant around 585 reached UK waters. . The arrivals bring the total number of small boat migrants recorded this year to more than 6,000.
Officials said the shift to Belgium represents a significant tactical change by people-smuggling gangs, which are increasingly using multiple launch sites to reduce law enforcement pressure on the French coast. One maritime security source described the development as the biggest tactical shift from the criminal smuggling gangs in the last few years.
Until recently, Belgium was rarely used for such crossings, with only a handful of attempted launches annually. However, authorities estimate that around 25 dinghies have now set off from Belgian beaches so far this year.