A record number of children lost their lives in the Channel last year, according to UN data shared with the Guardian. Officials describe this as a “wake-up call”. The UN’s International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported the highest number of deaths and missing persons in the Channel, with 82 individuals, including at least 14 children, dying in the attempt – also a record high. Authorities believe these figures are likely an underestimation of the actual numbers.
The 82 deaths last year were more than triple the 24 recorded in 2023, with the number of children’s fatalities significantly increasing from one death in 2023. Between 2018 and 2024, the range of child deaths in the Channel was between one and five, and so far in 2025, five deaths have been recorded, none of which are believed to involve children.
At the end of last year, the UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, recommended concrete measures to reduce the risk of migrants dying or going missing, including providing humanitarian assistance to those in distress and improving data collection on missing people. IOM officials have expressed concerns about the separation of children from their parents during these perilous journeys, with limited support available for reunion.
Among the 14 children who died last year, there were unnamed victims and some identified, such as 14-year-old Obada Abd Rabbo and 16-year-old Mohamed Al Jbawi, who perished in the same incident on January 14. Seven-year-old Rola Al Mayali, from Iraq, died after her family’s boat capsized in a canal. Seven-year-old Sara Al Ashimi, also from Iraq, and one-month-old Maryam Bahez, from Iraqi Kurdistan, are others whose stories have come to light.
Christa Rottensteiner, the IOM chief of mission in the UK, highlighted that the record number of child deaths is a call to action for more to be done. She emphasized the need for safer and regular migration routes and adequate support systems for separated children seeking their families.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/feb/25/record-number-of-children-died-crossing-channel-last-year-says-un
