Channel migrant crossings set to SURPASS 2023 total within DAYS

Five boats arrived this morning, and more than 250 migrants were transferred to the Border Force processing centre at Dover harbour.

A further three small boats were seen heading towards UK waters by lunchtime, taking the number of arrivals so far this year to more than 29,000.

The total figure for small boat migrants over the whole of 2023 was 29,437.

Latest official figures from the Home Office show that 292 migrants crossed from France in five small boats on Wednesday.

Those crossings happened on the same day three migrants drowned and more than 40 others were pulled from the water after their dinghy began sinking.

The incident happened early yesterday morning off the French coast near Calais.

Weather conditions at the time were described as choppy.

Responding to the latest deaths, a Home Office spokesperson said: “This devastating tragedy is a further reminder that the people-smuggling gangs only care about the profits they make, not about the lives they put at risk.

"We will stop at nothing to dismantle their business models and bring them to justice."

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Yesterday's arrivals have taken the official accumulated total for the year so far to 28,645. But that total does not include the more than 400 arrivals witnessed by GB News today.

A senior maritime source has said UK authorities are braced for "significant numbers arriving" over the next few days.

He added: "It's likely we'll see last year's total of 29,437 overtaken very soon, perhaps within the next 48 hours.

"Conditions out there in the Channel are far from ideal, but it is just about passable, and that's all these criminal people smugglers need to push out their boats.

"Although it's still going to be a bit on the breezy side, we're expecting several hundred at least to cross over the next couple of days."

The source also said that people smuggling gangs were becoming increasingly reckless, pushing out overcrowded, flimsy boats in poor weather.

"Their calculation is clearly to get as many migrant boats off as possible before the really bad winter weather sets in," the source told GB News. "But in doing that, they're seriously risking lives.

"We've seen close to 50 migrants die in the Channel this year, a record for migrant deaths. And there's every expectation that figure will climb even higher before the year is out."

The imminent passing of last year's total for migrant arrivals, is a grim milestone that will be extremely uncomfortable for the new Labour Government.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer scrapped the Conservative's Rwanda deterrent scheme on his first day in office, and promised instead to "smash the gangs" and end small boat crossings.

Labour also scrapped the previous Small Boats Operational Command and established a new Border Security Command, with an additional investment of £75million.

But there has been no slowdown in the numbers making the dangerous and illegal voyage, and no indications that Channel crossings will decrease anytime soon.