New analysis from The National has found that more migrants are being packed on to flimsy boats before attempting dangerous Channel crossings to reach the UK.
Our latest chart reveals the number of migrants boarding the vessels is increasing, but there has been a slight decrease in overall crossings since records began in 2018.
Boats are now carrying more than 60 migrants, on average, with the number often increasing to more than 70. This has resulted in more deaths being directly linked to overcrowding, with recent reports of migrants being crushed during crossings.
“In 2021, the average was about 40 per boat but it is now around 60. So as the numbers on the boat increase, so the risk goes up," Axel Gaudinat, a co-ordinator with the Utopia 56 in Calais, told The National.
A projection by The National shows that if nothing changes then the yearly average number of migrants per boat will hit 105 in five years. Read the full report here.
Essentials
The flights
Whether you trek after mountain gorillas in Rwanda, Uganda or the Congo, the most convenient international airport is in Rwanda’s capital city, Kigali. There are direct flights from Dubai a couple of days a week with RwandAir. Otherwise, an indirect route is available via Nairobi with Kenya Airways. Flydubai flies to Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo, via Entebbe in Uganda. Expect to pay from US$350 (Dh1,286) return, including taxes.
The tours
Superb ape-watching tours that take in all three gorilla countries mentioned above are run by Natural World Safaris. In September, the company will be operating a unique Ugandan ape safari guided by well-known primatologist Ben Garrod.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, local operator Kivu Travel can organise pretty much any kind of safari throughout the Virunga National Park and elsewhere in eastern Congo.
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 201hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 320Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 8.7L/100km
Price: Dh133,900
On sale: now
