More than 34,000 migrants have now crossed the English Channel this year after 1,000 arrived in 25 boats on Sunday, MoD figures reveal
- More than 1,000 people crossed Channel yesterday in 25 small boats, MoD says
- This brings total this year to more than 34,000, the highest since records began
- It is fourth time in just seven weeks that more than 1,000 people crossed in a day
- Dover MP has said controlling crisis ‘key priority’ with winter conditions on way
More than 1,000 people crossed the English Channel yesterday, adding to the record number who have made the perilous journey this year – which now stands at over 34,000.
Some 1,065 people made the treacherous crossing on Sunday in 25 boats and inflatable dinghies, according to the Ministry of Defence (MoD), meaning each boat carried an average of about 43 people.
With a break in the poor weather yesterday, the first groups were seen being escorted to shore by Border Force officials in the early hours of the morning.
Border Force officials escort migrants into Dover Docks, Kent. Some 1,065 people made the treacherous crossing over the Channel yesterday in 25 boats
The latest crossings take the provisional total for the year so far to 34,694, according to analysis of Government figures
Crossings continued throughout the day, with the last migrants arriving on Border Force vessel Ranger around 8pm.
The latest crossings take the provisional total for the year so far to 34,694, according to analysis of Government figures – the highest number for a single year ever recorded.
This is compared to 28,526 people who attempted to make the treacherous crossing of the 21-mile Dover Straits throughout the whole of 2021.
The 1,065 figure is by far the most for a single day so far this month, with 1,693 people having arrived in the UK after making the journey this October.
Meanwhile, 367 asylum seekers were rescued by French authorities after getting into difficulty at sea.
Crossings continued throughout the day yesterday, with the last migrants arriving on Border Force vessel Ranger around 8pm
It is the fourth time in just seven weeks that more than 1,000 migrants have crossed the Channel to the UK in a single day.
The three previous occasions when the daily total recently topped 1,000 were September 22, when 1,142 people were detected making the journey; September 4, when 1,160 were recorded; and August 22, when the figure reached 1,295 – the highest number on a single day since current records began in 2018.
Conservative MP for Dover, Natalie Elphicke said: ‘With these shocking record numbers of illegal crossings, getting the small boats crisis under control should be a key priority.
‘With the approach of winter, the seas will get rougher and the weather colder – inevitably the risk of further loss of life will increase. That’s why urgent action is needed to stop these dangerous crossings.’
Conservative MP for Dover, Natalie Elphicke said: ‘With these shocking record numbers of illegal crossings, getting the small boats crisis under control should be a key priority’
Speaking at the Conservative party conference on Tuesday, Home Secretary Suella Braverman vowed to stop migrants crossing the Channel.
She announced plans last week to ban anyone who is deemed to be entering the UK illegally from seeking refuge, which goes further than the Nationalities and Borders Bill announced in June.
Her predecessor, Priti Patel, who announced the Bill, also launched a scheme to send migrants on a one-way ticket to Rwanda.
But no flights have yet taken off following an intervention by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in June.
This overrode the decision of the UK Supreme Court to throw out campaigners’ bids to stop the first flight going ahead.
Various groups have launched legal challenges against the Government’s plans since they were announced.
Speaking at the Conservative party conference on Tuesday, Home Secretary Suella Braverman vowed to stop migrants crossing the Channel
Charity Asylum Aid’s case is due to be heard by High Court judges later this week after similar challenges were made last month.
Deportation flights are on hold while the legal disputes continue.
The court is expected to give its ruling on all of the cases at the same time, at a later date.
Since the deal with Rwanda was announced in April, 29,426 people have arrived in the UK after making the journey from France.
On Friday, the Home Secretary said that France needs to ‘double’ the number of migrants it stops leaving its shores in order to break the business model of people smugglers.
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