The number of migrants crossing the Channel in small boats from northern France to Britain hit a new daily high for 2023, UK government statistics released on Sunday showed.
Some 872 migrants aboard 15 different vessels made the perilous journey across one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes on Saturday, beating this year’s previous 24-hour high of 756 on 10 August.
It brings the total number to have arrived on the shores of southeast England so far in 2023 to more than 21,000.
That is less than the levels seen at this point last year, but still presents a major political and practical headache for the UK government.
London promised tighter border controls after the country left the European Union, and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has made “stopping the boats” a key priority.
His Conservative government has branded the cross-Channel route “illegal” and passed legislation blocking asylum applications from anyone arriving without prior authorisation.
Credit: rfi
