Migrant crisis: HUNDREDS of small boat migrants cross English Channel in fresh surge
People smuggling gangs have taken advantage of a tiny weather window to launch dinghies towards Britain
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A fresh small boat surge is underway this morning, with hundreds more migrants attempting to cross the English Channel, GB News can exclusively reveal.
People smuggling gangs have taken advantage of a tiny weather window of less than 12 hours to launch migrant boats towards the UK. Sources told the People's Channel dinghies were launched across a 60 mile stretch of French coastline, from Dunkirk, down to Wissant beach near the port of Boulogne.
At least 400 people were currently attempting to cross, with the first boats already making it to British waters. It follows 74 individuals who arrived in Dover off the Border Force vessel Typhoon last night.
Maritime security sources have condemned the actions of "reckless criminal gangs" who have put women and children on some of the boats crossing in still dangerous weather conditions. GB News was told last night's boat arrival included 15 women and one child.
French authorities have confirmed that a pregnant woman and a three-year-old child have been taken to hospital in Calais this morning after suffering from hypothermia. They were taken of a dinghy with around 50 people on board that was force to turn back to France around 5am.
One source said: "These reckless criminal gangs just don't care for the wellbeing of those on the boats. It's all about a quick profit for them. They're pushing boats out in the freezing cold, in the wind and rain, and they just don't care."
The latest arrivals follow another surge at the weekend, when more than 750 made the illegal crossing.It took the total number of Channel migrant arrivals this year past 40,000, the second busiest year on record.
The Labour Government has promised several measures and policies to clamp down on small boat crossings since taking office last year, focusing on increasing returns of illegal migrants to France, reforming the asylum system by limiting access to benefits and urging Europe's leaders to reform how the European Convention on Human Rights is interpreted.
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