Nearly 1,500 migrants arrived within the UK on 27 boats final week
Nearly 1,500 migrants arrived in the UK on 27 boats last week, taking the total number of people making the treacherous journey across the English Channel this year to 15,831.
Some 1,499 people made the journey from July 15 to 21, while the French coastguard confirmed two people died amid rescue operations off the northern French coast.
It means more than 2,000 migrants have arrived in the UK on small boats since Sir Keir Starmer became Prime Minister.
The maritime prefecture also said that a further 71 migrants were saved in the Channel yesterday, but some travellers on the boat who were not requesting assistance were allowed to continue the journey.
They said this decision was made given the risk of ‘falling overboard or of injury to people in the event of forced intervention’.
British Border Vessels intercepted hundreds of migrants crossing the Channel on Saturday morning, including one group in a suspected stolen yacht
Nearly 1,500 migrants arrived in the UK on 27 boats last week, taking the total number of people making the treacherous journey across the English Channel this year to 15,831
Some 114 people arrived yesterday in two boats, according to latest Home Office data, bringing the provisional total for the year so far to 15,831.
This is 9 per cent higher than the number recorded this time last year (14,534) and up 3 per cent on the same period in 2022 (15,314), according to PA news agency analysis of Government data.
British Border Vessels intercepted hundreds of migrants crossing the Channel on Saturday morning, including one group in a suspected stolen yacht.
Two hundred and twenty eight people were brought into the Port of Dover.
It comes as human trafficking gangs are now using the small watercrafts to transport people across.
The single-masted yacht was seen tied up next to Border Force catamaran Hurricane as it came into the harbour at the Western docks
Border Force agents secure the yacht in the port at Dover after guiding it to safety from the sea
The yacht used to bring migrants into Dover by the people smuggling gangs in northern France
The Labour Government has vowed to tackle people-smuggling gangs orchestrating the crossings by setting up a Border Command Unit and through ‘work we’ll be carrying out with European partners’.
Speaking on July 18, Mr Starmer reacted to the deaths of five people in two incidents in the Channel, saying it was ‘a chilling reminder of the human cost of this vile trade.’
A Home Office spokesperson said: ‘We all want to see an end to dangerous small boat crossings, which are undermining border security and putting lives at risk.
‘The new Government is taking steps to boost our border security, setting up a new Border Security Command which will bring together our intelligence and enforcement agencies, equipped with new counter-terror-style powers and hundreds of personnel stationed in the UK and overseas, to smash the criminal smuggling gangs making millions in profit.’
