Woman Dies in English Channel Dinghy Deflation Near Dover

A woman died after her overloaded dinghy suffered a catastrophic deflation about 10 miles off the coast of Dover while attempting to cross the English Channel. Despite emergency crews administering CPR and airlifting her to shore, she was pronounced dead at the scene. The UK Coastguard, Border Force, and RNLI launched a major rescue operation, with many other migrants, including children, rescued and transported to Dover. This tragedy highlights the increasing dangers of Channel crossings, with over 30,000 migrants having crossed so far in 2025, a 35% increase from last year, and at least 20 deaths recorded this year. Authorities are investigating the circumstances of the incident and recent reports of migrants evading interception, with five detained near Kent. The government condemned the exploitation of vulnerable people by smugglers and reiterated its commitment to preventing such dangerous crossings.