550 migrants cross English Channel in small boats over the past 24 hours
The latest arrivals take the number of Channel migrants so far this year to 17,340
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A total of 550 people have crossed the English Channel in small boats over the past 24 hours, GB News can reveal.
On a busy day in the Channel on Wednesday, 8 small boats crossed from France, with another 2 boats pushed off from French beaches overnight.
A picture of Channel crossing migrants arriving in Kent
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The latest arrivals take the number of Channel migrants so far this year to 17,340.
That figure is down on the same period last year, when 20,452 people had crossed.
Although Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said the fall in cross-Channel migrants showed his ‘Stop the Boats’ policy was working, maritime experts have said the weather is a significant factor in the reduction.
GB News Kent producer said he counted up to 65 people on some of the boats that arrived on Wednesday.
A group of people thought to be migrants are brought in to Dungeness, Kent, onboard an RNLI Dungeness Lifeboat
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He added “It shows people smugglers are continuing to cram ever larger numbers on these boats. They’re testing the limits, and putting lives at risk.”
Last Saturday, 65 people were crammed on the boat that capsized of the French coast, leaving 6 Afghans dead and at least one other missing.
Overnight, French authorities charged four alleged people smugglers with manslaughter in connection with the incident.
A group of people thought to be migrants are brought in to Dover, Kent
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Those charged have not yet been named, but are believed to be two Iraqi Kurds in their 40s and two Sudanese nationals, aged 17 and 29.
They are accused of manslaughter and ‘participation in a criminal association’, as well as ‘causing unintentional injuries.’
They have been remanded in custody until a trial date can be arranged.