A record 230 people were crammed onto a dangerous small boat which reached Dover in the early hours of the morning, according to reports. The "mega dinghy" had more people on board than the previous record of 165 who made the crossing in July.
Rising Numbers on Deadly Vessels
The number of people packed onto deadly boats has risen dramatically in recent months, with harrowing images showing people hanging off the edge of vessels making the journey from France to the UK. A dinghy carrying 173 people capsized in the English Channel after its engine caught fire earlier this month.
Government Response
New Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said the government has made important steps in stopping crossings, which earlier this month were at their lowest level since 2021. The PM pledged to be "relentless", stating: "People want to see this issue addressed. We also need to build a system that offers safe routes for people as well, because that also takes away the selling point of the gangs."
Previously a Home Office statement said: "This government is bearing down on small boat crossings, with removals of small boat migrants at record levels and asylum claims down by 12%.
"The home secretary has signed a landmark new deal with France to boost enforcement action on beaches and put people smugglers behind bars. This builds on joint work that has stopped over 44,000 attempted crossings since the election.
"We have removed or deported almost 70,000 people who were here illegally – an increase of 41% – and are going further to remove the incentives that draw illegal migrants to this country."
