‘I’ll kill you!’: Migrant armed with a knife boards boat to Britain after threatening another man on board
Footage from Hardelot-Plage in northern France appears to show a migrant threatening a man with a knife while people were boarding a dinghy bound for England. The armed man reportedly said, “I will kill you”, then dropped the knife into the water and boarded the boat; it is not known whether he reached Britain.
The report places the incident amid wider Channel crossings and recent violence, including two migrant deaths mentioned in the article. It also describes a separate boat filmed near Belgium, carrying more than 20 men and painted in colours resembling the Kurdish flag, and quotes opposition politicians criticising the authorities’ response. The article says 85,649 people had reached the UK in small boats since Labour took office, including 8,466 since July.
In short
- A man threatened someone with a knife during dinghy boarding in France.
- He dropped the weapon and boarded the boat.
- It is unclear whether he reached Britain.
Explained simply
People travelling to Britain in small boats usually set off from northern France and cross the Channel, one of the world’s busiest shipping routes. The journeys are made in overcrowded, often unseaworthy dinghies, and can be dangerous for passengers and others at sea.
The crossings have become a major issue in UK politics. The British and French authorities work to prevent departures and respond to boats in distress, while people who reach the UK may have their reasons for travelling assessed under immigration and asylum rules.
The figures for arrivals are often used in debate about border control and government policy. Disagreements also concern how to reduce dangerous crossings while meeting legal duties towards people seeking protection.