Channel Migrants: More than 500 migrants cross at the weekend

Migrants being brought to Dover in September

More than 500 migrants crossed the English Channel in small boats over the weekend, the Home Office said.

On Saturday 537 people made the crossing in nine boats, while the figure for Sunday was 28 in a single boat.

It brings the total for the year so far to 24,858. The number of arrivals from January to September 2022 was 33,004.

The Home Office said it is working with French authorities to prevent crossings.

The latest arrivals follow two days without any 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.

Follow BBC South East on Facebook, on X, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to [e-mail].