The Voice News:
Nearly 1,200 migrants have crossed the English Channel and entered the United Kingdom in a single day. The British Home Office reported that last Saturday, 1,194 migrants arrived in the country aboard 18 small boats.
This marks the highest number of migrant crossings via the Channel in a single day so far this year. The British news outlet BBC reported the development on Sunday (June 1).
British Defence Minister John Healey expressed deep concern over the large number of arrivals in one day. Speaking on a talk show on Sky News, he said, “Over the past five years, the UK has lost control of its borders.”
He further remarked that the way smugglers are “ferrying” migrants across the Channel like taxis is extremely dangerous and alarming.
According to the UK Home Office, 14,811 migrants have crossed the Channel so far this year, which is a 42% increase compared to the same period last year. Compared to 2023, the number has nearly doubled, with a 95% rise.
The BBC reports that more than 37,000 people crossed into Britain via the Channel in 2024, while a record 45,755 crossed in 2022. The previous record for the highest number of Channel crossings in a single day was on September 3, 2022, when 1,305 people entered the country.
Defence Minister Healey stated that the UK has reached an agreement with France. On Saturday, French authorities rescued 184 people and have now begun implementing new strategies aimed at stopping smugglers before the boats even launch.
“Our current goal is to put pressure on the French authorities to speed up the implementation of this agreement, so they can prevent these crimes not just onshore, but also at sea,” he added.