Boat migrants crossing English Channel in first month of the year tops 1,000

Dozens of migrants crossed the English Channel on Sunday 29th bringing the number who have made the journey in the first month of this year above 1,000.

Around 50 men, women and children were brought into Dover by the UK Border Force after attempting to make the crossing.

With three days of January left to go, at least 991 people were confirmed to have made the journey to reach the southern shores of Great Britain.

This means crossings are broadly keeping pace with this time last year, which saw 1,341 people enter the UK via this route in January 2022.

It comes a day after 26 people from one small boat were brought in by the Border Force, which has been running patrols in the area for years. 

So far this year there have only been a small number of days where migrants have crossed the Channel, with most being brought in on January 22, and January 25 - on these days 442 and 373 people, respectively, were brought into Dover.

Last year saw a record 45,728 migrants cross the channel, well up on the 28,381 who did so in 2021.