More than a thousand small boats have been intercepted and recovered by UK authorities in the English Channel so far this year, GB News can reveal.
It is understood that 1,030 small boats have now been seized by UK Border Force after making it into British waters.
Border Force officers paint numbers on the side of every small inflatable they seize, in order to keep a tally of the numbers recovered.
Just after 10am on Wednesday, GB News’ Kent producer filmed one of the latest dinghies to be towed into Dover harbour.
The number 1,024 was painted on the side of the nine-meter long green inflatable.
It is understood that 1,030 small boats have now been seized by UK Border Force after making it into British waters.
GB News
Another six small boats were still in the Channel, waiting to be towed back to Dover.
At least 200 people were taken off the seven boats intercepted so far today, taking the number of migrants detained to 1,500 since last Thursday.
The Winter months have done little to slow down the numbers trying to reach the UK.
Despite the deaths of 27 people when their small boat sank in the Channel last month, others are continuing to make the perilous journey every time weather conditions improve.
It was revealed this week, that a French humanitarian organisation had filed a lawsuit against French and UK maritime authorities, accusing them of not doing enough to prevent the deaths of the 27 migrants.
Today, GB News filmed as the Dover lifeboat arrived back at port, carrying more migrants from the latest batch of small boats intercepted.
GB News
The RNLI vessel was full of people standing and sitting on the bow and stern, as it arrived at the Border Force makeshift processing centre inside Dover harbour.
More than 28,000 people have made the crossing in small boats so far this year, compared to 8,400 in 2020.
Dan O'Mahoney, clandestine Channel threat commander, said Border Force was determined to to stop the flow of small unseaworthy boats and “target the ruthless organised criminal gangs" behind the crossings.
But despite repeated assertions by him and the Home Secretary Priti Patel to make the route “unviable” for the people smugglers, the numbers crossing continue to grow.
Last month, the French President Emmanuel Macron accused British Prime Minister Boris Johnson of playing politics, after Mr Johnson offered to send UK security personnel across the Channel to help patrol French beaches.
