Channel migrants: MoD says 261 cross Channel in single day

Migrants arriving at Dover on Monday

The Ministry of Defence said 261 people managed to cross the English Channel in seven small boats on Thursday.

It means 18,998 people have made the crossing so far this year, compared to 28,396 in the whole of 2021.

So far in August 2,609 people have crossed in 60 boats.

The government described the arrivals as "unacceptable", adding: "People should always claim asylum in the first safe country they reach, rather than risk their lives."

This week BBC South East reported how suspected people smugglers are using TikTok to advertise illegal entry to the UK via the English Channel.

The government announced in April it plans to send some asylum seekers to Rwanda to claim asylum there instead.

The first flight was cancelled minutes before take-off after legal rulings.

Many migrants come from some of the poorest and most chaotic parts of the world, and many ask to claim asylum once they are picked up by the UK authorities.

A government spokesman said: "The Nationality and Borders Act makes it a criminal offence to knowingly arrive in the UK illegally and we have introduced life sentences for those who facilitate illegal entry into the country.

"Since the introduction of the act, 23 people have been arrested."

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