Channel crossings top 17,000 for the year so far as hundreds brought ashore in Kent in one day

More than 17,000 migrants have arrived in the UK so far this year after crossing the Channel, figures show.

Some 444 people made the journey in eight boats on Wednesday, suggesting an average of around 56 people per vessel.

This takes the provisional total for 2023 to date to 17,234, according to analysis of Home Office data.

It's understood Border Force has been preparing for what it calls “red” days, when warm weather and calm seas are favourable for crossings – conditions which are expected to continue on the south coast into the weekend.

The crossings comes just days after at least six people died and dozens of others were rescued when a boat got into difficulty off the coast of Sangatte, northern France, on Saturday.

On Monday more than 100 people made the journey, meaning more than 500 have made the crossing in just two days so far this week.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak – who has made stopping the boats one of his top five priorities ahead of next year’s likely general election – said on Tuesday that the current numbers of arrivals are “lower than they have been in previous years”, adding it is “the first time that has happened”.

While reiterating that he was “determined to fix this problem”, he also admitted there is a “long way to go”.

The UK Government has applied a number of measures aimed at making it less appealing to come to Britain via unauthorised routes.

Ministers are looking to move migrants out of hotels and into accommodation established on barges and former military sites.

The Illegal Migration Act also allows for those arriving via small boats to be sent back to their country of origin or deported to Rwanda in east Africa.

However, flights destined for Kigali have yet to take off, with the policy currently awaiting an appeal decision in the courts.

A Home Office spokesman said: "The unacceptable number of people risking their lives by making these dangerous crossings is placing an unprecedented strain on our asylum system.

"Our priority is to stop the boats, and our Small Boats Operational Command is working alongside our French partners and other agencies to disrupt the people smugglers.

"The Government is going even further through our Illegal Migration Act, which will mean that people arriving in the UK illegally are detained and promptly removed to their country of origin or a safe third country."

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