Channel migrants up 13% compared with this time last year

The number of migrants landing in Dover after crossing the Channel on small boats is at the highest level since 2022's record.

During the first 31 days of 2024, a total of 1,335 migrants successfully crossed the Channel, despite almost constant storms and poor weather conditions - a 13 per cent increase over the same period last year.

Last year there there were 1,180, compared with 1,339 in 2022.

Back in 2018, only 299 migrants crossed the Channel in small boats for the entire year.

However, figures increased to 1,843 in 2019 and 8,466 in 2020. In 2021, there was a massive increase to 28,526 before 2022's record of 45,744.

This figure reduced in 2023 to 29,437 - still the second highest year on record.

Since January 2018,more than 115,000 people have successfully crossed the Channel - an average of 52 people per day.

A Home Office spokesperson said: 'Our priority is to stop the boats, which is why we have taken robust action to crackdown on vile people smuggling gangs, deter migrants from making dangerous crossings and, alongside our French counterparts, intercept vessels.

'This relentless action reduced crossings by 36 per cent last year, which saw similar weather conditions to 2022, and more than 26,000 attempts were prevented.

'The fact we have seen three devastating fatal incidents in three months highlights the unacceptable risks that migrants and criminal gangs are running in pursuing these dangerous, illegal and unnecessary crossing attempts.'

The number of migrants crossing the Channel is up 13% compared with this time last year, figures show.