Small boat crossings by migrants in northern France on the rise
From the start of the year, over 20,000 men, women, and children have made it to the United Kingdom – which is 7,000 more than during the equivalent period in 2024. At least 15 individuals have perished while trying to cross.
READ MORE : http://www.africanews.com/2025/07/08/small-boat-crossings-by-migrants-in-northern-france-on-the-rise
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00:00In the forests and dunes of northern France, the faces may change, but the stories remain constant.
00:06Pain, hope and survival.
00:09As the number of attempts to cross the channel of England increases,
00:13exiles keep arriving along the Opal coast,
00:16worn out from months, sometimes years of wandering,
00:20but determined to reach their destinations.
00:22Umi, a mother of three from Kenya, is also living in the forest.
00:26You know, it's dangerous. You know, it's dangerous.
00:30But what can we do here?
00:33We have no family here, no job, no money, no place to stay.
00:39So, we still worry.
00:43In another camp, Ali, a 29-year-old from Somalia, who is jobless and undocumented, shares his own story.
00:51I know the route that I want to take isn't easy.
00:58Maybe I could die.
01:00Maybe I could make it.
01:01I know that.
01:03But the biggest problem is this.
01:05My whole family is behind me, and they are counting on me.
01:11I carry the responsibility of my entire family.
01:14While local citizens set up to respond to the distress of the immigrants,
01:22local authorities criticize the government's lack of action.
01:26On a daily basis, nothing really changes, as there are more and more crossings.
01:32Fortunately, more of them succeed, but there are still many that fail.
01:37And for us, very concretely, we, the mayors along the coast, we haven't seen any changes for a decade now.
01:43There are still just as many departures from our beaches at night, during the day, and especially when the weather is good.
01:51And we realize that despite the announcements made by the French government, and despite the statements and resources promised by the UK government as well, nothing has changed, nothing has improved.
02:02According to the UK government statistics in 2025, more than 20,000 individuals crossed in the first six months, representing a 50% rise compared to 2024.
