A significant surge in Channel crossings occurred today, with approximately 623 individuals arriving ashore via small boats – marking the highest number of arrivals recorded in a single day this year.
Favorable weather conditions across the English Channel allowed numerous vessels, facilitated by criminal smuggling networks operating along the French coastline, to launch throughout Saturday. Resources were stretched thin as Dover lifeboats and all available Border Force and French patrol boats responded to multiple incidents.
The previous record was eclipsed just after 7:00 PM when the Border Force cutter *Volunteer* reached Dover Harbour carrying 70 migrants.
Today’s landings exceed the previous high of 592 recorded on March 3rd, bringing the total number of arrivals this year to roughly 8,000.
A spokesperson for the Home Office stated: “We are committed to ending these perilous small boat crossings, which endanger lives and jeopardize our border security.”
The statement continued:
“These people-smuggling gangs demonstrate a callous disregard for human life, prioritizing profit over the wellbeing of the vulnerable individuals they exploit. We will pursue every avenue to dismantle their operations and bring these criminals to justice.”
The government has outlined a plan aimed at reforming the asylum system, including:
- Enhanced enforcement powers
- Increased returns – reaching levels not seen in over five years
- A crackdown on illegal employment practices exploited by smuggling gangs.
“Our aim is to eliminate the false promise of jobs used by these gangs to lure individuals onto these dangerous crossings,” the statement concluded.
More updates will follow as this situation develops.
