Photo credit: France 24
Belgium has intercepted more than 400 people attempting to cross the Channel so far this year, up from none in the whole of 2025, according to government figures in what local officials say is a spill-over from neighbouring France, following a crackdown there.
For years, migrants hoping to reach Britain in search of a better life have gathered in camps along the coast around the French city of Calais, before attempting to cross over.
Belgium has not witnessed the same influx, mainly because its coastline is significantly further away from British shores, which heightens the risk for those making the journey in flimsy, overcrowded boats.
At its closest point, about 80 kilometres of water separates Belgium from England, compared to the about 30 kilometres that migrants have to cover when setting off from Calais.
But things have started to change as France ramped up law enforcement, partially due to a new deal between Paris and London signed in April to stop undocumented migrants from crossing.
Jean-Marie Dedecker, mayor of the seaside town of Middelkerke, said for several months now, he has been watching smugglers implement a well-oiled operation from his town’s beaches.
Before sunrise, the vessels are inflated before migrants jump aboard and set off, he added.
Boats “follow the coastline to France,” said Christian De Ridder, the local deputy police chief.
Boats are either “fully packed” with 15 to 20 people on board or sometimes go pick up more passengers in France before heading towards Britain, he added.
The trend has frustrated the Belgian government of Flemish nationalist Prime Minister Bart De Wever, which does not want to appear lax on the issue.
Her office said it is working tirelessly to put an end to it, notably by increasing detentions of migrants – mostly young men from Sudan, Afghanistan and Iraq.
