More than 10,000 migrants have been spotted crossing the English Channel in unstable boats since the start of the year, according to figures released by Britain’s Home Office on Sunday.
Seven ships with 374 people on board arrived in the UK on Saturday, according to a daily balance sheet published by the government. Since January, 10,139 migrants have arrived in the country via this route.
The figure is lower than that recorded during the same period in the previous year.
But after several weeks of bad weather, the crossings have increased again in recent days.
More than 2,500 people arrived on British shores between June 10 and 17, according to the same source.
During 2022, the authorities recorded more than 45,000 transit cases, which is a record.
The Conservative government has made combating irregular immigration one of its priorities.
The executive branch approved a law last year that would allow asylum seekers to be sent to Rwanda, though the courts are currently blocking that law.
Another controversial bill plans to prevent migrants arriving in the UK via the English Channel from applying for asylum.
London also signed a series of agreements with countries such as France and Albania to reduce irregular migration.
mhc / mr / sag / mb
