Case 25-002402 (Please be advised this link containt sensitive images and must be viewed with caution)Case Removed

UPDATE

This case has now been removed from the UK Missing Mersons Unit (UKMPU) website. Normally when this happens it means the case has been resolved. Well done to all agencies involved including the RLNI, NCA and the UKMPU.

A new case has hit the UK Missing Persons Unit (UKMPU) this week that highlights the importance of identifying those who try to enter our country through our waters which personally, I think is just as important as identifying those who come from our shores.

While I try to focus on cases that affect our citizens, every so often a case arises from overseas. These kind of cases can have their own issues such as language barries, crime and immigration.

Todays case focuses on a lone man found in a boat, attempting to cross the Channel, which is believed to have been an attempt to enter our country illegally. For what reason, it is yet unknown but it is important to identify this individual in the hopes to tackle further attempts from others to enter the country illegally, risking their own life and worse risking someone else’s life, like those who attempt to save them from the channel rough and cold waters.

We know Kent County Constabulary were called at 8:26am on Friday the 18th of April 2025 from the border force team after they intercepted a small boat floating in the English Channel. A lone Male was discovered inside the boat having suffered a medical emergency. At 7:15am a lifeboat crew was dispatched by The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI).

Since the discovery police are no closer to identifying the unknown male. We know he was around 20 – 40 years old, with black hair and a full beard, he also had brown eyes. To date, there has been no indication of the unidentified males ethnicity. After the discovery a spokesperson for police said  “Kent police was called at 8.26am on Friday 18 April 2025 after a Border Force patrol responded to a medical emergency on a small boat in the English Channel.

“A man has since been pronounced deceased. Officers have launched an investigation to establish the circumstances leading to the man’s death.

“The priority remains to establish the man’s identity in order to notify his family. Officers are currently at Dover Lifeboat Station while initial inquiries are under way.”

After Police recovered the body, a blue forensics tent was set up outside the lifeboat station in Dover.

The unidentified man in the boat did have a few distinguishing features which may help towards identifying him. He know he had a tattoo on his right arm (pic below)

He also had a scar on his left arm and a cyst or mark on his right facial cheek. The tattoo, scar and cyst are not direct identifyers but are known as secondry identifiers.These identifiers are what we the public work with to help identify the unidentified as we don’t have access to DNA, finger prints and dental records to help with the main identifiers.

We also know the unidentified man in the boat wore a number of items of clothing including a grey T-shirt, a striped black and blue scarf, a black vest, a pair of blue jeans, a pair of black socks with a blue stripe, a brown belt with a yellow buckle and a pair of black and white trainers.

A spokesperson for the UK government said: “This morning, Border Force responded to a medical emergency onboard a small boat entering UK waters. It is with regret that we can confirm one individual has died, and our thoughts are with them and their loved ones.

“Investigations are ongoing and it would be inappropriate to comment further at this time, but we want to thank those who responded to this incident and who continue to work tirelessly to secure our borders and protect lives at sea.”

The way cases are evolving and being handled shows the level of compassion organisations and police forces are using to help reason with these cases. It is a great step forward in policing and the relationship with other forces such as the government, the press and border security.

The head of the Refugee Council, Enver Solomon, said: “We are devastated to hear about the death on the Channel today. No one should lose their life when they are simply trying to seek safety from the horrors that see them clamber on a flimsy vessel on the Channel.

“With deadly Channel crossings rapidly rising, this serves as a stark reminder that the government needs to reassess its approach.

“Smuggling gangs are profiting from men, women and children who are forced into life-threatening conditions because they are in desperate search of safety. Enforcement measures alone are not enough to address this.”

Pre-mortem Injuries: No Information Available

Post-mortem Injuries: No Information Available

Case number: 25-002402

Type: Body

Gender: Male

Age range: 20 – 40

Ethnicity: No Information Available

Height: No Information Available

Build: No Information Available

Date found: Friday, 18 April 2025

Circumstances: Lone male found deceased in boat

Cause of Death:

Possessions:

Town: N/A

Locality: Channel

County: Kent, England

Police force: Kent county constabulary

Hair type: Unknown

Hair colour: Black

Facial Hair: Full Beard

Eye colour (left): Brown

Eye colour (right): Brown

Case information:

Distinguishing features:

• Mark – Cyst – Cheek – Right – Unknown

• Scar – Unspecified – Arm – Left – Unknown

• Tattoo – Unspecified – Arm – Right – Unknown

Clothing:

• Belt – Unknown – Unknown – Brown belt with yellow buckle

• Footwear – Unknown – Unknown – Black socks with blue stripe

• Shirt/blouse – T-shirt – Unknown – Grey

• Underwear – Vest – Unknown – Black

• Trousers – Jeans – Unknown – Blue

• Scarf – Unknown – Striped – Blue and black

• Footwear – Trainers – Unknown – Black and white

Jewellery: None

Body Parts: n/a

Bone Details: n/a

DNA: No Information Available

Dentals: No Information Available

Fingerprints: No Information Available

Toxicology: No Information Available

Maps:

Useful Articles/Sources

The Guardian “Man Confirmed dead after crossing Channel in small boat“

BBC News “Migrant dies in Channel crossing attempt“

Sky News “Migrant dies trying to cross Channel in small boat“

Kent Online “Asylum seeker dies after medical emergency on small boat in English Channel“

Channel 8 “Migrant Dies During Channel Crossing as UK Sees Surge in Arrivals“

UKMPU “25-002402“

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