Channel migrants: More than 800 migrants cross at the weekend

The Dover lifeboat brought migrants ashore at Dover on 4 September, when 286 people made the crossing

More than 800 migrants crossed the English Channel in small boats at the weekend, the Home Office said.

On Saturday, 425 people made the crossing in seven boats, while 389 arrived in six boats on Sunday.

It brings the total number of migrants making the journey from France this year to 22,263.

By the end of August 2022, a total of 25,043 people had made the crossing, meaning figures were slightly lower than this time last year.

The government said it is making stopping the boats a priority, and is working with the French authorities to combat the crossings.

A Home Office spokesman said: "The unacceptable number of people risking their lives by making these dangerous crossings is placing an unprecedented strain on our asylum system.

"Our priority is to stop the boats, and our Small Boats Operational Command is working alongside our French partners and other agencies to disrupt the people smugglers."

The English Channel is one of the most dangerous and busiest shipping lanes in the world.

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.

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