More than 15,000 small boat migrants have crossed the English Channel so far this year, as up to 400 more attempt the crossing today.
After a week of no arrivals because of poor weather conditions, multiple migrant boats were spotted early this morning and are currently being tracked as they attempt to cross to UK waters.
At 6am, the Border Force vessel Volunteer arrived at Dover harbour with 120 migrants, who were taken off two small boats.
GB News's Kent producer said that at least three more migrant boats are in the Channel heading towards the UK, and being escorted by French border patrol vessels.
At 6am, the Border Force vessel Volunteer arrived at Dover harbour with 120 migrants, who were taken off two small boats
GB NEWS
The last of today’s illegal arrivals happened just after 2.30pm, when the Border Force vessel Typhoon docked at Dover harbour with a further 82 migrants on board.
People smugglers took advantage of a slight improvement in weather conditions a to launch multiple small boats from French beaches.
Six made it to UK waters, bringing the total number of migrants who have made the illegal crossing so far this year to 15,212.
Today's arrivals are the first since 1,195 migrants made the crossing on June 3 in 19 small boats.
That figure was a record daily arrival for the year, and one of the busiest days since the Channel migrant crisis began in 2018.
Weather conditions since then have been impassable for the migrant boats, with windy conditions whipping up waves in the middle of the Channel.
The figure is 35 per cent higher than the 1,127 who crossed at the same point last year.
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Today's arrivals are the first since 1,195 migrants made the crossing on June 3 in 19 small boats
GB NEWS
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp told GB News that Labour’s border controls had collapsed.
He said: “15,000 illegal Channel crossings and its only June. 2025 is the worst year ever for small boat crossings so far.
“While traffickers and criminal gangs rake in millions, Labour Ministers stand in Westminster rehearsing soundbites. This is a total collapse of border control.
“How many more records does Keir Starmer need to break before he finally admits his plan is failing? He should never have scrapped the removals deterrent the previous Conservative Government put in place.
“Only the Conservatives have a serious, deliverable plan to end ECHR obstructions, introduce a binding annual cap on migration, implement measures to actual deter these crossings, and restore control of who comes into this country. Britain cannot wait any longer.”
A Home Office spokesperson said: "The people-smuggling gangs do not care if the vulnerable people they exploit live or die, as long as they pay and we will stop at nothing to dismantle their business models and bring them to justice.
"That is why this Government has put together a serious plan to take down these networks at every stage.
"Through international intelligence sharing under our Border Security Command, enhanced enforcement operations in Northern France and tougher legislation in the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill, we are strengthening international partnerships and boosting our ability to identify, disrupt, and dismantle criminal gangs whilst strengthening the security of our borders."
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