West Flanders governor warns of migrant drownings on coast
Carl Decaluwé, the governor of West Flanders, has issued an urgent warning that migrants attempting to cross the English Channel from Belgian beaches face imminent drownings, as smuggling networks shift operations from France to Belgium’s North Sea coast. In an interview with La Libre Belgique, Decaluwé stated bluntly: “Je crains l’accident. Il y aura des noyades” — “I fear an accident. There will be drownings.”
A shifting crisis
For years, the vast majority of small boat crossings to the United Kingdom originated from the French coast near Calais and Dunkirk. However, intensified French patrols and physical barriers have pushed smugglers to seek alternative routes. Belgium’s North Sea coast — particularly the municipalities of De Panne, Koksijde, Nieuwpoort, and Ostend — has emerged as a new launch point, despite the longer and more dangerous crossing through one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes.
According to BBC News, Belgian authorities report that gangs are using so-called “taxi boat” tactics — inflatable boats that depart from a Belgian beach with a few migrants, travel along the coast to pick up additional passengers in French waters, and then cross the Channel fully loaded. Tony Smith, former director general of the UK Border Force, told the BBC that smuggling gangs “are quite happy to move their operations, to try and avoid any patrols either by the French or the Belgian police.”
Rising numbers, insufficient resources
The scale of the challenge is escalating rapidly. Since the beginning of 2026, nearly 900 undocumented migrants have been intercepted in West Flanders. In one week alone in early March, authorities arrested 67 transmigrants and 23 human traffickers. The VRT NWS reported Decaluwé saying: “As predicted, the situation is exploding.”
On April 18, five boats carrying at least 200 migrants were spotted off the Belgian coast and escorted to French waters — the largest single-day detection event to date, as reported by Le Soir and InfoMigrants.
Decaluwé argues that the human and material resources deployed in Belgium are “largely insufficient” compared to French and British capabilities. In March, he asked Interior Minister Bernard Quintin to close the border with France, noting that 80 migrants were arriving by bus at the border weekly and only four personnel were available for checks. “We only have four people on site to carry out checks, it’s no longer sustainable,” he told RTBF.
Calls for a dedicated processing center
Beyond border controls, Decaluwé is advocating for a dedicated processing center in West Flanders itself. Currently, detained migrants must be transported to facilities scattered across the country, and they are often released with only a document ordering them to leave — a system the governor describes as unsustainable. He also calls for a designated general strategy coordinator and more effective monitoring technology, including advanced cameras that can detect boats that evade radar.
A drone was deployed from the Lombardsijde military base in West Flanders starting May 19 for surveillance missions over the North Sea through mid-July, as RTBF reported. But Decaluwé says far more is needed.
Broader context and risks
The shift to Belgian departure points carries heightened dangers. Retired Dover coastguard Andy Roberts told the BBC that the crossing from Belgium is longer, exposing migrants to greater risks: “The boats are overcrowded and they’re crossing the busiest thoroughfare for shipping in the world, it’s extremely dangerous in every respect.”
In 2025, 41,262 people crossed the Channel in small boats — a 13% increase year-on-year. The UK has provided £1.3 million to Belgian law enforcement to deter smuggling attempts, and a Home Office spokesperson said joint action with Belgium has seen “one of the largest suppliers of small boat parts behind bars.”
However, the human toll is already visible. On May 3, two migrants were seriously injured after a police pursuit in Middelkerke, with one in danger of death, as L’Avenir reported.
Political pressure mounts
Decaluwé’s warning places significant pressure on Belgium’s federal government, led by Prime Minister Bart De Wever (N-VA). The Arizona coalition has pursued a tougher migration policy, but has faced legal setbacks: the Constitutional Court suspended restrictions on asylum reception in February, and the Council of State followed suit in March. Migration Minister Anneleen Van Bossuyt has also faced a criminal complaint — later dismissed — over her policies.
As The Brussels Times noted, the emergence of this new, more perilous migration route is pushing boundaries and raising alarms in both the UK and the EU.
What to watch
With summer approaching and warmer weather expected to increase crossing attempts, the risk of a mass casualty event looms large. Key questions remain: Will the federal government allocate additional resources beyond the initial 25 officers deployed for two weeks? Can the border with France be effectively reinforced? And will the UK-French security deal, set to expire, be renewed?
For now, Decaluwé’s warning stands as a stark reminder of a crisis that shows no signs of abating. “The crossing is and remains extremely dangerous,” he said. “I don’t want these boats navigating among tourists on our coast.”