How to buy a ‘mega-dinghy’: the perilous new model of Channel crossing
Summary
Large inflatable boats, called "mega-dinghies," are being used more often by migrants to cross the English Channel. These boats are often made in China and sold without official European safety approval, then brought to Europe by smuggling networks. Authorities have arrested and convicted key smugglers involved in supplying these boats and equipment.Key Facts
- Chinese companies manufacture large inflatable boats up to 8 meters long and can produce 500 boats a month.
- These boats often lack CE certification, which is required for safety approval in the European Union.
- In early 2026, a dinghy carrying 230 people arrived in the UK, marking one of 11 such crossings this year.
- The average number of people on Channel crossing boats has increased from 7 in 2018 to about 66 in the first half of 2026.
- A Chinese company linked to these boats was sanctioned by the UK for selling boats to organized crime gangs.
- Adem Savas, a Turkish national, supplied boats and engines to smuggling gangs in Europe and was sentenced to 11 years in prison.
- Boats and equipment are shipped from China to Turkey, then transported through Europe before reaching smugglers in Belgium and France.
- Europol led a raid seizing equipment and cash as part of a crackdown on smuggling networks.
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