Border Forensics | «Stop the Boat»: The Human Cost of Britain's Externalized Border
Since the summer of 2023, English Channel crossings have become more deadly. This increase in deaths comes even as the United Kingdom and France have strengthened their border controls as part of the «Stop the Boats» policy. Based on a numerical analysis of incidents in the Channel, an investigation by the ESRC Centre and Border Forensics highlights that the increase in deaths is directly linked to stricter controls, despite a decrease in arrivals. It demonstrates that these policies primarily contribute to increasing the risks faced by people attempting the crossing.
We are relaying below the abstract of the report, translated from English using DeepL. The full study is available directly on the website Border Forensics. We also refer to a statement from Migreurop, the testimony of a detained migrant in England, and a letter from seven UN rapporteurs denouncing detention conditions in the United Kingdom, which fall within this same context. More information and links to these documents are available at the end of the article.
Why «Stop the Boat» Kills: A Digital Forensic Investigation into the Human Cost of the UK's Outsourced Channel Border
How the «Stop the Boats» policy kills presents the findings of a year-long collaborative investigation by researchers from the ESRC Centre for Sociodigital Futures at the University of Bristol and Border Forensics, an independent research organisation based in Geneva, Switzerland. The report demonstrates how the UK government's «Stop the Boats» policies, along with over £625 million paid to France to prevent departures, have directly contributed to a sharp increase in deaths among people attempting to cross the English Channel in so-called «small boats.».
Based on data provided by activists in solidarity with migrants in northern France, French coast guard records, and transparency data from the UK Home Office, this investigation highlights a dramatic increase in fatal incidents starting in the summer of 2023. It is crucial to note that This rise in deaths occurred as the number of dinghies and people arriving in the UK decreased, despite increased air surveillance and maritime search and rescue capabilities.
Geospatial analysis showed these additional deaths occurred closer to the French coast, and interviews with activists and migrants revealed they resulted from new deadly mechanisms: extreme overpopulation, causing the people inside the inflatable rafts to be crushed, and chaotic launches, often amid violent police interventions aimed at preventing departures. The intertwined effects of three border policing practices that underpin these mechanisms are examined in detail in the report: it shows how these practices, which authorities claim «save lives» by preventing crossing attempts, have amplified the risks faced by people forced to undertake irregular journeys to reach the UK. It also shows that British and French officials knew, or should have known, the deadly consequences of their policies.
- Upstream measures to combat trafficking and disrupt the supply chainInternational cooperation has reduced the availability of dinghies and other equipment necessary for small boat crossings, leading smugglers to procure larger, lower-quality inflatable boats that are increasingly overloaded. Anti-trafficking measures have also reduced the opportunities for low-resource groups to organize their own crossings—thereby strengthening the grip of professional smugglers on the market—and have fueled competition for places on board.
- Strengthening air surveillanceAlthough presented primarily as support for search and rescue operations, analysis of flight paths and official documents has shown that the majority of aerial surveillance of the English Channel is focused on coordinating ground police patrols and collecting data and intelligence for prosecution purposes. By enabling faster police detection and intervention, surveillance has contributed to overcrowding and the emergence of new, dangerous tactics for small boat departures.
- Increased police activity on the French coastThe ever-increasing number of police officers on the French coast, funded by the UK, has altered the geography of small boat departures and encouraged the adoption of «taxi boats,» which present increased risks for travelers forced to board already-inflated dinghies. Violent police tactics, particularly the use of riot control weapons such as tear gas, stun grenades, and rubber bullets, have also directly endangered travelers and caused panic, stampedes, and drownings in shallow waters.
Decades of bolstering security and police presence at the UK's outsourced border have not ended illegal journeys, and despite being a political priority since 2019, small boat crossings have continued unabated. As this report shows, strengthening controls has not only failed to achieve its stated aim but has resulted in more deaths in the Channel. The question remains open as to whether this reality can be acknowledged by policymakers and lead to a fundamental re-evaluation of the outsourcing of Britain's borders.
Currently, as the next phase of bilateral cooperation for 2026-2029 is about to begin, the British government seems determined to continue using significant payments to incentivize the French to adopt increasingly risky tactics to control its border, regardless of the human cost.
Translated from English with DeepL.
Agreements under international criticism in recent weeks
On March 24th, more than 14 organizations warned about the effects of the French-British agreements, specifically highlighting the experimental «One in, One out» mechanism. In their Press release, they notably denounce the additional risks generated by these policies, as well as the rollback of fundamental rights associated with them.
On January 14th, a peaceful demonstration by 175 asylum seekers held in detention centers in England was violently suppressed by law enforcement. The detainees were protesting inhumane detention conditions and their deportation to France. The testimony of a detainee recounting this repression was shared on Migreurop Network Site.
In a letter published on February 6, 2026, seven UN special rapporteurs denounced arbitrary detentions and practices that may constitute inhuman treatment in the context of deportations from the United Kingdom. They also alerted to legal shortcomings concerning the «One in, One out» scheme and gave France and the United Kingdom 60 days to justify the scheme's compliance with international law. You can find this letter by clicking here.
