Some 623 small boat migrants illegally crossed the English Channel today in the biggest single day of arrivals this year.
Good weather in the Channel saw criminal people-smugglers launch multiple small boats along the French coast throughout Saturday.
Dover lifeboats were called in to assist this morning - with every available Border Force and French patrol vessel tied up responding to other small boat sightings.
The record was broken just after 7pm when the Border Force vessel Volunteer arrived in Dover Harbour with 70 migrants on board.
Dover lifeboats were called in to assist this morning - with every available Border Force and French patrol vessel tied up responding to other small boat sightings (file photo)
PA
Today's arrivals surpass the 592 who crossed illegally from France on March 3.
It takes the total number of arrivals for the year so far to around 8,000.
A Home Office spokesman told GB News: "We all want to end dangerous small boat crossings, which threaten lives and undermine our border security.
LATEST ON THE MIGRANT CRISIS:
'The people-smuggling gangs do not care if the vulnerable people they exploit live or die, as long as they pay,' the Home Office blasted
PA
"The people-smuggling gangs do not care if the vulnerable people they exploit live or die, as long as they pay.
"We will stop at nothing to dismantle their business models and bring them to justice.
"That's why this government has put forward a serious, credible plan to finally restore order to our asylum system, including tougher enforcement powers, ramping up returns to their highest levels for more than half a decade and a major crackdown on illegal working to end the false promise of jobs used by gangs to sell spaces on boats."
It follows the extraordinary news that the French Navy has been ordering Britain's Border Force to return life jackets which were loaned to illegal migrants crossing the Channel.
623 small boat migrants illegally crossed the English Channel today
GB NEWSIn a new audio recording, communications between Border Force officials and the French Navy have been exposed - with the officials arranging a "return" of the migrant life jackets to the French.
Calling to a French warship, Border Force's Typhoon tells the officials: "We can arrange to return your life jackets. Can you confirm how many are on board?"
As the French Navy confirm 34 migrants are on board, they claim they will "be able to give them life jackets".
The communications continue, as Border Force declares that "once everyone is on board", they will "return the life jackets" to the French - "either by our rib or by yours".
