The number of people who have made the dangerous journey across the English Channel in small boats this year has passed the total for all of 2020 – with more than five months left of 2021.
At least 287 migrants succeeded in reaching the UK on Tuesday, bringing the total for the year to at least 8,452, according to available official data compiled by the PA news agency.
This eclipses the figure for the whole of 2020, when 8,417 people crossed the Dover Strait aboard small boats.
These figures are based on Home Office data obtained and analysed by PA.
One charity condemned the Government’s handling of the issue, saying it “loses all credibility” with the new record.
Government gives France £54 million in bid to halt migrant crossings as 2020 figure surpassed
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Around 100 migrants including five children arrive in the UK
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