Two men have been jailed for eight months for piloting a boat across the Channel, which saw two people die in France.
Afghan nationals Shah Salim Sajjadi, 38, and Safiollah Mohammadi, 25, have been arrested after the vessel arrived in UK waters on May 21, carrying more than 70 people.
Following the boat's departure from a beach near Calais, earlier in the day, a woman and child had been pulled off the boat by a French coastal patrol vessel but were declared dead.
French Police are investigating the circumstances of the fatalities under the direction of the Dunkirk prosecutor's office.
Shah Salim Sajjadi has been sentenced to eight months in prison
NCA
Sajjadi and Mohammadi were detained and questioned by investigators from the National Crime Agency (NCA) upon their arrival in Dover.
The pair have been charged with facilitating illegal immigration to the UK.
They pleaded guilty on May 24 at Folkestone Magistrates' Court.
NCA Branch Commander Adam Berry said: "This tragic incident demonstrates just how dangerous these crossings are, and the callous nature of those who organise them.
"The boat in question was dangerously overcrowded, but Sajjadi and Mohammadi chose to carry on their journey.
"We continue to work with French colleagues to investigate the circumstances of this crossing and the fatalities."
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News of the jailing comes as official data showing the number of days in the first four months of this year when conditions in the English Channel meant migrant crossings were considered likely was revealed.
It showed there were more than double the figure for the equivalent period in 2024, Home Office data shows.
There were 60 so-called "red" days between January 1 and April 30 this year, when factors such as wind speed, wave height and the likelihood of rain meant crossings were classed as "likely" or "highly likely".
Some 11,074 migrants arrived in the UK during these four months after crossing the Channel.
Comparing this to last year, there were 27 red days, less than half the number in 2025, with 7,567 crossings recorded - nearly a third lower than the total for this year.
Safiollah Mohammadi pleaded guilty at Folkestone Magistrates' Court
NCA
So far this year, Britain has seen 14,812 Channel migrants arrive on its shores, up 42 per cent from this time last year.
Shadow Home Secretary, Chris Philp MP said: "Labour seems to think praying for bad weather is a good border security strategy. This is a weak Government, with no plan to end illegal immigrants crossing the Channel.
"They should never have cancelled the Rwanda removals deterrent before it even started. That’s why 2025 is the worst year in history for illegal crossings, not the weather.
"Blaming the weather for the highest ever crossing numbers so far this year is the border security equivalent of a lazy student claiming 'the dog ate my homework'. This is a clear failure for our weak Prime Minister and his weak Home Secretary."
Some 14,812 Channel migrants have arrived on UK shores
GETTY
Last month, a UK-based people smuggler was jailed for 25 years for being part of a £12million illegal boat crossing operation.
Ahmed Ebid, 42, helped "ruthlessly and cynically" organise the movement of nearly 3,800 migrants, including women and children, with some of them making their way to Britain.
He was sentenced at Southwark Crown Court for 25 years, having pleaded guilty to conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration.
Ebid helped at least seven separate crossing operations, which carried around 3,781 people into Italian waters.
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