The number of small boat migrants illegally crossing the English Channel so far this year is now 25 per cent higher than at the same point last year, GB News can exclusively reveal.
Another five small boats have crossed the Channel this morning, with almost 300 people on board.
They are the first Channel migrants to arrive since a record breaking 900 made the crossing over four days last week.
As weather conditions improved in the Channel overnight, criminal people smugglers pushed out multiple small boats from the French coast.
Rishi Sunak pledged to stop the boats after replacing Liz Truss as Prime Minister
GETTY/GB NEWS
Just after 11am, the Border Force catamaran Defender arrived in Dover harbour
GB News Kent producer counted 103 people who were taken off Defender and escorted to the Border Force processing centre in the harbour.
An hour later, the Border Force vessel Volunteer took the occupants of two other small boats to Dover.
GB News counted 122 people taken off Volunteer.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
A group of people thought to be migrants crossing the Channel in a small boat traveling from the coast of France and heading in the direction of Dover, KentPAA fifth small boat is still in the English Channel heading towards UK waters, with around 50 people on board.
The latest arrivals take the total number of migrants who have made the illegal journey so far this year to just under 4,600.
That compares to just over 3,700 who crossed at the same point in 2023, 25 per cent up on last year’s figures.
One maritime source, who works the English Channel told GB News that the weather was the deciding factor in determining how many people cross the Channel.
A picture of Channel crossing migrants arriving in KentPAHe said: “So much for Rishi Sunak’s Stop the Boats policy. The number crossing last year may well have been 36 per cent down on the previous year, but what we’re seeing this year shows us the weather is the main reason behind any change in numbers.
“Every time the weather conditions improve out in the Channel, the people smugglers, who’ve become very sophisticated in reading wind and tide, push out these small boats. It’s nature, not the UK government making the difference here.”
A Home Office spokesperson said: “The unacceptable number of people who continue to cross the Channel demonstrates exactly why we must get flights to Rwanda off the ground as soon as possible.
“We continue to work closely with French police who are facing increasing violence and disruption on their beaches as they work tirelessly to prevent these dangerous, illegal and unnecessary journeys.
“We remain committed to building on the successes that saw arrivals drop by more than a third last year, including tougher legislation and agreements with international partners, in order to save lives and stop the boats.”