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CALAIS — People-smuggling gangs are reportedly taking the Channel crossing business to the next level, commissioning a new generation of custom-built inflatable boats measuring up to half a kilometer in length.
The move follows the latest record crossing, in which 230 migrants reportedly reached Britain aboard a single 15-meter "mega-dinghy" — up from a previous record of 165. Industry watchers say the shift toward ever-larger vessels is a direct response to increased enforcement against smaller boats.
"We realized there was still considerable unused deck space," one smuggler said.
The new vessels will reportedly feature a "premium passenger experience." Plans include a dedicated coffee kiosk, Starlink Wi-Fi and selfie booths.
In the premium front section, guests enjoy elevated cushion-seats for better view and multi-port phone charging stations with USB-A, USB-C and Lightning plugs.
The smugglers insist the larger boats aren't about increasing profits. "It's about efficiency," one explained. "If 1000 people can cross on one boat, that's quite a few fewer boats we have to organize."
The first prototype is expected to measure roughly 500 meters — about the length of five football pitches.
Boat manufacturers in northern France are reportedly bracing for a surge in demand. "People are asking for bigger boats," one industry insider said. "We've had one inquiry for a kilometer-long model."
An even longer design is also in early development, though not, it turns out, for smuggling purposes. The inquiry reportedly came from a Belgian tech entrepreneur who wanted "something similar, but with various amenities, for a commercial social experience of hardship and fun."
British officials have condemned the mega-dinghies as "completely unacceptable" and announced urgent talks on the matter, sometime next year.