Migrant crossings top 11,000 so far this year

Figures suggest an average of 63 people per boat crossed the English Channel on Thursday. (Stock image)

The number of people who have crossed the English Channel in small boats so far this year has reached more than 11,000.

It comes after 316 migrants made the journey in five boats on Thursday, Home Office figures show, taking the provisional total for 2024 to 11,095.

About 80 people were rescued when they got into difficulty during the crossings on Thursday.

A Home Office spokesperson said: “We continue to work closely with our French partners to prevent crossings and save lives."

This year's arrivals are up 46% compared to the same time last year, which had seen 7,610 people make the crossing, and up 11% on the same period in 2022.

Dover and Walmer lifeboats were launched to assist Border Force following reports that dozens of people were in the water about 10 miles off the Kent coast on Thursday morning.

Three children, including a baby, were reportedly among those brought to safety.

Some of those rescued are thought to have been pulled from the water after their boat is said to have capsized although no deaths or serious injuries were reported and no-one was taken to hospital.

The figures suggest there was an average of 63 people crossing the Channel to the UK per boat on Thursday.

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