A woman has died following a small boat incident in the English Channel, according to Kent Police. Emergency services airlifted her back to shore, where she was pronounced dead on Tuesday afternoon.
The incident occurred just after 1pm on Tuesday 9 September, prompting a coordinated response from multiple agencies. Kent Police confirmed they were alerted by the coastguard about the Channel incident involving the small boat.
Police investigation underway
Officers have launched an investigation to determine what led to the woman's death. A Kent Police spokeswoman said: "Kent Police was made aware by the coastguard of an incident in the Channel involving a small boat just after 1pm on Tuesday 9 September 2025. One woman was airlifted back to shore, where she was pronounced deceased. Officers are conducting enquiries to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident."
The tragedy unfolded as Border Force vessels and RNLI lifeboats were responding to Channel crossings throughout Tuesday. Video footage captured people arriving at a Kent port and stepping off Border Force boats during the day's operations.
Emergency response operations
A coastguard emergency helicopter was photographed flying over the area as rescue operations continued. Maritime authorities had deployed multiple assets to respond to small boat activity in the Channel.
A Maritime and Coastguard Agency spokesman said: "HM Coastguard sent UK Border Force vessels, RNLI lifeboats, and HM Coastguard aircraft, in response to small boat activity reported in the Channel on September 9."
Sources used: "PA Media" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
