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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Anahita Hossein-Pour

Migrants brought ashore in lifeboat after crossing English Channel

Migrants have been brought ashore in the UK after crossing the English Channel.

Pictures show people wearing life jackets disembarking from Border Force and RNLI boats in Dover on Tuesday.

The latest crossings amid fair weather at sea come several days after 154 people were recorded to have arrived in four boats on Friday.

A Maritime and Coastguard Agency spokesman said: “HM Coastguard is coordinating the operational response to reported small boat activity in the Channel today, April 8.

“RNLI lifeboats and UK Border Force vessels have responded, supported by an HM Coastguard fixed-wing aircraft.”

\There has been fair weather at sea (Gareth Fuller/PA) (PA Wire)

Some 6,796 people have made the journey to the UK after crossing the English Channel so far this year, according to latest Home Office figures.

This is 25% up from the same point last year (5,435) and a 49% increase on 2023 (4,563), according to analysis of the data by the PA news agency.

The data also marks more than 30,000 arrivals since Sir Keir Starmer became Prime Minister, as the Government continues its plans to crack down on people smuggling gangs.

But shadow home secretary Chris Philp has accused the Government of “losing control of our borders”.

A Home Office spokesperson said: “We all want to end dangerous small boat crossings, which threaten lives and undermine our border security.

“The people smuggling gangs do not care if the vulnerable people they exploit live or die, as long as they pay and we will stop at nothing to dismantle their business models and bring them to justice.

“That’s why this Government has put forward a serious, credible plan to finally restore order to our asylum system, including tougher enforcement powers, ramping up returns to their highest levels for more than half a decade and a major crackdown on illegal working to end the false promise of jobs used by gangs to sell spaces on boats.”

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