More than 700 migrants arrived in the UK after crossing the English Channel in 11 boats on Sunday – the highest number since Labor came to power.
Home Office data published on Monday shows that 703 people were detected on Sunday, which is also the third highest this year.
Eleven boats were detected, suggesting an average of 64 people per boat.
On Sunday, two migrants died trying to cross the English Channel.
Their small boat was in French waters when they sent a distress signal to the regional coast guard center.
Around 50 migrants were rescued from the boat by a helicopter and two boats, with “many” pulled from the water with “fuel burn injuries”, French regional maritime authorities said.
Those rescued were returned to France, with the investigation into the two deaths led by the country.
The total number of arrivals to the UK by small craft in 2024 is now a provisional 18,342.
This is 13% higher than at this point last year, when 16,170 crossed, but is 3% lower than in 2022, which was 18,978 at this stage.
The highest figure on a single day this year was on 18 June, when 882 people crossed, while the second highest figure was 711 on 1 May, both before the general elections on 4 July.
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Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has vowed to “crush the gangs” by creating a new Border Security Command to combat people-smuggling gangs bringing migrants across the English Channel.
Agents will be granted new powers under the Anti-Terrorism Act that will allow them to carry out border stops and searches, carry out financial investigations and issue search and seizure warrants against organized immigration crime.
Since taking office, he has also announced £84 million of funding to African and Middle Eastern countries, in an attempt to tackle the migration crisis “at the source”.
Sir Keir said the money will go towards health and education initiatives, as well as humanitarian support, to address the reasons why people flee their homes in the first place.
This story originally appeared on News.sky.com read the full story
