Almost 12,500 people have crossed the English Channel in small boats

A group of people thought to be migrants are brought in to Dungeness, Kent
A record 686 were taken from 13 dinghies on Friday and another 350 have crossed so far today
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Almost 12,500 people have crossed the English Channel in small boats this year, after hundreds more arrived on a record day for crossings yesterday.
Home Office figures confirm a total of 686 people were taken off 13 small boats on Friday and transferred to the migrant processing centre in Dover harbour.
That figure beat this year's highest number of crossings on a single day, when 545 people made the illegal journey on 11 June.
GB News can exclusively reveal that at least another 350 people have crossed from France so far today.
A group of people thought to be migrants are brought in to Dover, Kent, onboard a Border Force vessel following a small boat incident in the Channel
PA
Two Border Force catamarans arrived in Dover early this morning with around 200 migrants, who had been taken off four dinghies very early this morning.
Another three small boats carrying around 150 people have been intercepted by Border Force and are in the process of being transferred onto UK vessels.
GB News analysis of the figures reveal that a total of 12,470 people have now arrived in dinghies since the beginning of the year.
The figure is slightly down on the number who crossed at this point last year.
Last month, the Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said the reduction in the overall figure showed the Government's 'Stop the Boats' plan was beginning to work.
But maritime experts, who know the waters, continue to insist that the reduction in numbers crossing has more to do with poor weather conditions in recent months.
Friday's crossings were the first for a week, after moderate southwesterly winds in the Channel made the journey in small inflatables largely impassible.
Weather conditions are expected to remain calm for the next couple of days, sparking fears of a massive surge in small boat arrivals in the hours ahead.