In what The Sun newspaper called a ‘day of shame,’ the known number making ‘small boat’ crossing into Britain on a single day exceeded all previous records.
Despite repeated promises to ‘smash the gangs,’ the official last day before the British summer begins saw 19 confirmed small boat arrivals bring 1,194 illegal migrants ashore.
This record day of migrant crossings puts the total 42% higher than where it stood in 2024, meaning crossings are at the highest rate with the largest total number of arrivals, predominantly young men, at any point since the crisis began in 2019.
At one point the number of migrant vessels in the English Channel overwhelmed marine rescue services, who in turn called on local fishing boats for help.
While French police were again criticised for allowing the small boats to enter French shallow coastal waters and commence their dangerous voyages, the Labour government of Keir Starmer is under increasing pressure to find a solution.