Chinese-made ‘mega dinghies’ are fuelling a rise in illegal migrant crossings – as one was pictured in the Channel for the first time today. 

The massively overloaded small boat was seen in the middle of its journey from northern France, heading for Britain.

Dozens of individuals were visible on the boat. Witnesses estimated the number could be up to 125, though the Home Office has not confirmed this figure.

If it is finally proved to have 125 aboard it would equal the record for the highest number of migrants aboard one vessel, set on Saturday.

The dinghy today was one of the newer, larger types, approximately 40 feet in length. It is believed to be only the second of its kind to depart from the French coast for Britain.

Authorities have pointed fingers at companies in China for providing these larger vessels, which traffickers are overloading in an attempt to maximize their profits.

This can have tragic results, with three people – including a child – dying over the weekend. 

One company, Qingdao Rongsheng Sports Goods, has previously marketed boats on Alibaba – likened to ‘the Chinese Amazon’ – under the name ‘immigrant boat’.

It is still offering dinghies for sale on the site, although posts seen by the Mail no longer mention migration.  

One ad offered the boats for $1,535 (£1,141) each when bought in bulk, with a mock-up showing one of them pulled up on a beach.

In July, sanctions were brought against another company, Weihai Yamar Outdoors Product Co, which offered ‘refugee boats’. 

A super dinghy around 12 metres in length – and with dozens of migrants on board – heading across the Channel today 

A new, longer type of dinghy is being used by people traffickers. Pictured is one from August

A Home Office minister suggested today that the growing size of the smugglers’ boats stems from a shortage due to efforts to disrupt supply channels.

‘We’re achieving upstream success in stopping the procurement of boat parts, which is why they’re opting for larger ones,’ Mike Tapp mentioned on Radio 4’s Today programme.

But Tuesday Reitano, Managing Director at the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime, suggested it was mainly a ‘profit making strategy’. 

‘The boats seem to be being produced in China,’ she said.

‘Colleagues of mine were doing interviews with French police last week and they reported that the bigger boats and the small boats being picked up had a ”Made in China” stamp on them. 

‘They’re also being shipped through Turkey, which we’ve also seen in the past has been a major producer.

‘Germany has proven a real logistics hub for the transfer of boats to the Channel, and they’re being divided among different networks depending on the intended final user. 

‘The challenge has been that it’s very hard to prove a crime before it takes place and holding boats isn’t illegal, so most of what’s been happening is trying to prove that the particular boats are intended for smuggling and have particular flaws or a lack of safety features that you’d expect in a commercial boats.’

Ms Reitano said British officials had tried to strike an agreement with China to prevent boats being sold to smugglers but were having little success.  

‘China has been a very difficult partner and efforts by the UK to try to bridge an agreement around the production and manufacture of boats for smuggling hasn’t shown a huge amount of fruit,’ she said. 

‘It’s obviously a huge country with a massive manufacturing sector and you can very easily find adverts of Chinese advertising boats for smuggling. It’s very blatant. And to take down all the adverts and sanction the companies would be a challenge.

‘I think the strategy remains cooperating with as many countries as possible – and the UK has been very successful getting that in a number of places – but I’m not sure China is going to be the most effective avenue.’ 

Sanctions were previously brought against Weihai Yamar Outdoors Product Co, a Chinese company. Pictured is a former advert for some of its products

Another old advert on Alibaba for a ‘refugee boat’

A total of 895 arrived on Saturday followed by another 403 on Sunday, bringing the number so far this year to 33486, up 31 per cent on the same point last year. 

They also pushed the total to have come here since Labour won power past the 55,000 mark.

The large numbers arriving on single vessels is highly damaging for Labour’s claim it is ‘smashing the gangs’ – as well as a potential catastrophe in the making.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said: ‘These small boats crossings are utterly unacceptable and the vile people-smugglers behind them are wreaking havoc on our borders.

‘Thanks to our deal with France, people crossing in small boats can be detained and the first removals have now begun.

‘Protecting the UK border is my priority as Home Secretary and I will explore all options to restore order to our immigration system.’

One of Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s first acts in office was scrapping the previous Tory government’s Rwanda asylum deal, which was designed to deter crossings and save lives.

Under Labour the number of arrivals is soaring and the death toll continues to rise.

A child, thought to be a teenager, died off the coast of France yesterday while attempting to cross by small boat.

The tragedy took place at about 6.30am, with the youth’s body washed up on Ecault beach, in Saint-Etienne-au-Mont.

‘An investigation has been opened to determine the circumstances of the death,’ said Cécile Gressier, prosecutor in Boulogne-sur-Mer.

‘The victim’s age and nationality have not been determined.’

It came a day after two migrants died in a separate incident off the French coast.

The two women, reported to be from Somalia, perished after about 100 people left northern France overnight on Friday into Saturday, according to reports.

The incident happened south of the Neufchatel-Hardelot beaches, between Boulogne and Le Touquet.

They either suffocated on the packed dinghy before it disintegrated or drowned in the sea, officials said.

Emergency services commander Jonathan Caruso said 48 other migrants who were on the same boat were rescued after falling into the sea, before it continued on to Dover with around 50 still onboard.

The latest deaths means that at least 21 people have died this year as they attempt to reach Britain from France on a small boat.

Children were among three who died on the route earlier this month after they were crushed at the bottom of a boat.

A total of 78 migrants died in 2024 while trying to reach England in the same way.

Labour’s attempt at deterring crossings involves a ‘one in, one out’ deal with France.

So far, seven small boat migrants have been deported since the scheme came into force on August 6.

Other removals have been left in legal limbo by a series of legal challenges under human rights and modern slavery laws.

Last week a family of three, including a young child, became the first to be admitted to Britain from France under the scheme.

Former home secretary Yvette Cooper was moved sideways to the Foreign Office in the Cabinet reshuffle three weeks ago after failing to make an impact on small boat numbers.