Recent data reveals that a significant number of individuals, including a young girl, tragically lost their lives while attempting the perilous Channel crossing in 2025.
Charitable organizations estimate that around 36 people perished in their endeavor to reach the UK, although some groups suggest that the actual figure could be higher. Among the deceased were a mother, Kazaq Ezra, aged 40, and her daughter, Agdad Hilmi, aged eight, who were fatally injured on a small boat in May.
Collaborating with various agencies in the UK and France, the Mirror has endeavored to identify the individuals who lost their lives during the crossing. Unfortunately, neither country maintains a comprehensive record of these fatalities, resulting in many remaining unidentified.
The act of publishing the names of the deceased has been deemed as a fundamental step in acknowledging their humanity. Louise Calvey, the director of Asylum Matters, expressed, “By failing to document these tragedies, our Government is sending a despicable message that the lives of those seeking refuge are inconsequential and neglecting the lethal repercussions of their own policies.”
Among the identified victims was Natnael Tesfalem, aged 31, from Eritrea, who drowned in May. Additionally, Awet Hagos Haile, a woman believed to be around 30 and also from Eritrea, lost her life in March. Bilal Yildirim, hailing from Turkey, was missing for over 50 days before his body was recovered. Describing the unsafe conditions on the vessel, a friend named Ozgur Gul highlighted the dangers faced by Bilal.
In August, a Somali woman, possibly named Ayesha, tragically drowned while boarding a boat in Dunkirk. Despite frantic rescue attempts, the 27-year-old passed away on site. Subsequently, two more Somali women lost their lives in similar incidents the following month.
On March 8, Kuwaiti national Jabr Al Ftah, aged 64, succumbed to a heart attack while on a small boat bound for the UK. Abdul Raheem Qasem, aged 24, from Yemen, was discovered deceased on the beach of Salines in Sangatte on January 22 after attempting the crossing. Suleiman Alhussein Abu Aeday, a Syrian refugee in his early twenties, became the first recorded casualty of the year just 11 days prior.
Calais Migrant Solidarity reported that in April, an unidentified Eritrean woman, believed to be in her 30s, was laid to rest in a Calais cemetery before her family could be located. She lost her life while endeavoring to reach the UK via a small boat.
According to the Missing Migrants Project, a total of 36 individuals lost their lives while attempting to reach the UK in 2025. This includes 20 men, six women, and one child, while the ages and genders of the remaining victims remain unknown.
Nine cases were attributed to drowning as the cause of death, although