Migrant Channel crossings top 14,000 for year so far

More than 400 people made the journey on Tuesday, according to Home Office figures.

More than 14,000 migrants have arrived in the UK so far this year after crossing the Channel (Gareth Fuller/PA) (PA Wire)

More than 14,000 migrants have arrived in the UK so far this year after crossing the Channel.

Home Office figures show 419 people made the journey in six boats on Tuesday, suggesting an average of around 70 people per boat and taking the provisional total for 2024 to date to 14,058.

This is 10% higher than the number recorded this time last year (12,772) and up 6% on the same period in 2022 (13,318), according to PA news agency analysis of Government data.

(PA Graphics) (PA Graphics)

Several children were among those pictured being brought ashore in Dover, Kent, amid calm weather conditions at sea on an overcast and rainy day. Groups of people were seen being escorted from Border Force boats and lifeboats wearing life jackets, with some wrapped in blankets.

The latest crossings mean 484 migrants arrivals have been recorded over two days of activity in the Channel since Sir Keir Starmer became Prime Minister in the wake of Labour’s election victory last week.

But windy conditions in the Channel on Wednesday may prevent crossings being attempted for a third day in a row.

Last year, 29,437 migrants arrived in the UK after making the journey, down 36% on a record 45,774 in 2022.

The crossings come as a 25-year-old man was arrested in Lancashire on suspicion of facilitating illegal immigration and obtaining leave to remain by deception as part of an investigation into Channel crossings.

The 25-year-old Iraqi national is suspected of being involved in planning the movement of migrants across Europe and into northern France, to the UK, the National Crime Agency (NCA) said.