More migrants have crossed the Channel in small boats so far this year than over the whole of 2023
More people have crossed the English Channel in small boats so far this year than over the whole of 2023, according to the latest government figures.
Around 29,578 migrants have arrived on UK shores since January, up on last year's annual total of 29,437.
A rise of 12%, this is higher than the 26,501 migrants recorded at the same time last year, but is 22% lower than the 38,129 people who made the journey at this stage in 2022.
A Home Office spokesperson said: "Our new Border Security Command will strengthen our global partnerships and enhance our efforts to investigate, arrest, and prosecute these evil criminals.”
On Friday 424 people in seven boats arrived, according to provisional Home Office data.
On Wednesday, three people died and dozens of others were rescued when a boat sank while trying to reach the UK, and a baby died in another similar incident last week.
The French coastguard said it rescued 76 migrants in three boats on Thursday.
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It also repeated warnings abut the dangers of attempting to cross the Channel, the busiest shipping lane in the world, after also reporting the deaths of 48 migrants so far this year.
More than 600 ships pass through it every day and weather conditions are treacherous even when the sea seems calm, the coastguard said.
Shadow Immigration Secretary, Paul Holmes said: “Today’s numbers mark a shameful milestone in the first few months of this Labour government’s catalogue of failures.
“Having done away with the deterrent the National Crime Agency said we needed, Labour bear the full responsibility for this complete failure to secure our borders.
“Labour have shown time and time again that they have no plan. They have officially opened the doors to people smugglers.”
A Labour source said: “We inherited a disastrous situation with a record number of small boat crossings in the first half of the year under the Tories, running almost 20% higher than 2023.
"Since then, numbers have largely stabilised and we have stepped up enforcement activity with our new Border Security Command, recruiting 100 new investigators to go after the criminal smuggling gangs making millions in profit from these dangerous crossings.”
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