Channel crossings daily record smashed as more than 1,000 migrants arrive today

Several British and French lifeboats had to be called in to help border patrol vessels on both sides of the Channel deal with the huge numbers crossing.

At one point, the coastguard had to call on fishing boats to help a yacht which was taking on water, because all nearby maritime rescue assets were involved in dealing with migrants.

One maritime security source said: "Authorities in France and the UK have simply been overwhelmed at times today.

"We've seen three French lifeboats and two lifeboats from the RNLI called out to pick up migrants from some of the small boats."

GB News Kent producer said he had seen "back-to-back arrivals" at the migrant processing centre at Dover harbour.

He said "Well over a thousand migrants have arrived today, probably more like eleven hundred."

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That provisional figure is a huge leap on the previous one-day record of 825 migrants who made the illegal journey on 21 May.

The latest surge in migrant arrivals follows an improvement in weather conditions on Saturday.

Strong winds in the Channel over the past week had prevented small boat crossings.

Some of the migrant boats were launched from beaches near Dunkirk this morning, around the same time as a flotilla of 'little ships' set off to return to the UK.

Those vessels had been involved in commemorations to mark the Dunkirk evacuation 85 years ago.

That flotilla was escorted back to the UK by a RNLI lifeboat from Ramsgate, the port where many of the vessels had set off from.

During the first stage of the crossing to France 10 days ago, the flotilla was briefly halted and diverted to allow another migrant boat passage to the UK.

The incident caused anger and consternation among many, who saw it as an insult to those who put their lives on the line to help evacuate hundreds of thousands of British and French troops from the advancing German army.

GB News understands the flotilla's return journey has not been interrupted by Saturday's migrant boat activity in the Channel. Today's arrivals take the number of migrants who have made the illegal journey so far this year to around 14,700. That figure is 41 per cent higher than the 10,448 who had crossed by this point last year.

Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said the milestone ensured Starmer's commitment to "smash the gangs" is now in "tatters".

“Over a thousand illegal immigrants in a single day, boats flooding the Channel, Border Force stretched beyond breaking point, and even fishing vessels drafted in because our maritime rescue services are overwhelmed. A nation reduced to chaos on the high seas while Keir Starmer hides behind platitudes and process," Philp said.

“Labour has completely lost control of our borders. Their pledge to smash gangs in tatters. They scrapped the Rwanda deterrent before it even began and now the boats won’t stop coming. So far, this is already the worst year on record. Labour have failed on every front, and Britain is paying the price. This is a day of shame for Labour.”

A Home Office spokesman said: "We all want to end dangerous small boat crossings, which threaten lives and undermine our border security. The people-smuggling gangs do not care if the vulnerable people they exploit live or die, as long as they pay and we will stop at nothing to dismantle their business models and bring them to justice.

“That is why this government has put together a serious plan to take down these networks at every stage. Through international intelligence sharing under our Border Security Command, enhanced enforcement operations in Northern France and tougher legislation in the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill, we are strengthening international partnerships and boosting our ability to identify, disrupt, and dismantle criminal gangs whilst strengthening the security of our borders."