Record 828 people cross English Channel in small boats in single day
Despite repeated vows by the Home Office to make the route ‘unviable’, 30 boats succeeded in reaching the UK on Saturday.
At least 828 people made the dangerous journey across the English Channel on board small boats in a single day at the weekend – a new record for the current crisis.
Despite repeated vows by the Home Office to make the route “unviable”, 30 boats succeeded in reaching the UK on Saturday, the department confirmed late on Monday night.
The arrivals tally eclipses the previous daily record of 592 people set less than two weeks ago.
But the sea journey has claimed many lives, leading to outpourings of grief and repeated promises of action from governments on both sides of the Channel.
Earlier this month, a 27-year-old man from Eritrea died after he and four other people jumped overboard as their boat started to sink in the English Channel.
“Refugees will continue to come to the UK, as they have for centuries, as long as there are despots, wars and persecution in this world,” she said.
“To end the use of small boats, MPs should create a humanitarian visa system for people in France who are travelling to the UK so they can arrive here in safety and with dignity to make their claims.”
“We’re working across Government as well as with French and international partners to tackle this issue.
“We have doubled the number of police officers on French beaches, prevented more than 10,000 attempts, secured nearly 300 arrests and 65 prosecutions.”
