More migrants arrive in Dover after making journey across the Channel

More migrants arrive in Dover after making perilous journey across the Channel just days after six people died when migrant boat sank five miles off the French coast

• Some 16,678 migrants have crossed the Channel in 356 boats so far this year 

Even more migrants have arrived in Dover after making the journey across the Channel, days after six people died when their dinghy sank five miles off the French coast.

Dozens reached Britain by small boat on Monday morning. A whopping 16,678 migrants have crossed the Channel in 356 boats so far this year.

Last year saw a record 45,755 people make the journey – 60 per cent higher than 2021 when 28,526 migrants reached Britain.

While the Government is yet to confirm the official figures for today, two inflatable dinghies or other small craft are understood to have been intercepted while attempting to make the treacherous crossing.

The mostly male groups were brought into the harbour in Dover, Kent, on board a Border Force catamaran shortly before midday.

Even more migrants have arrived in Dover after making the journey across the Channel, days after six people died when their dinghy sank five miles off the French coast

A group of people thought to be migrants were driven away from the Border Force compound in Dover, Kent, following a small boat incident in the Channel today

Dozens reached Britain by small boat on Monday morning. A whopping 16,678 migrants have crossed the Channel in 356 boats so far this year

Last year saw a record 45,755 people make the journey – 60 per cent higher than 2021 when 28,526 migrants reached Britain

They could be seen disembarking the vessel wearing orange life-jackets and face masks after battling poor weather conditions in the Channel – with heavy cloud, showers, and winds of up to 25mph forecast for today.

The latest arrivals are the first to reach the UK since Saturday when six migrants died off the coast of Sangatte in northern France, while attempting to make the perilous journey in the early hours of the morning.

Major questions have been raised over how France’s authorities responded to the incident on Saturday which saw at least 58 people – many of them Afghans – rescued after the boat got into difficulties off the coast of Sangatte on Saturday.

While the Government is yet to confirm the official figures for today, two inflatable dinghies or other small craft are understood to have been intercepted while attempting to make the treacherous crossing

The latest arrivals are the first to reach the UK since Saturday when six migrants died off the coast of Sangatte in northern France, while attempting to make the perilous journey in the early hours of the morning

French rescuers reached a migrant boat which sank in the English Channel killing six people some 15 minutes after an RNLI vessel arrived – despite it happening only five miles from the French coast, sources have claimed.

The accounts of survivors suggested about 65 people had boarded the overloaded vessel before a passing ship saw it sinking and raised the alarm at around 4.20am. 

Sources told The Times that the first French lifeboat was on the scene 15 minutes after the RNLI vessel arrived – which had already started rescuing survivors.

A group of people thought to be migrants are brought in to Dover, Kent on Monday, August 14

Channel crossings increased massively last year, with the UK seeing 60 per cent more crossings than in 2021

Some 22 people were rescued and dropped off in Dover, including by the RNLI crew, which was launched at about 4am, and a British chartered ship. At least 36 others were collected by French boats and taken to Calais, as well as those who died.

It follows two fatal Channel crossing incidents in November 2021, when 27 migrants died – the highest recorded number of deaths in an incident – and December 2022, when four perished, which resulted in a blame game between the UK and France.

But Britain is keen to avoid damaging the £480million deal agreed with the French in March which it is claimed has helped reduce crossings compared to last year.

Migrants were rescued on Saturday after a boat carrying about 65 sank off the coast of France

Rescued migrants sit on a French rescue ship on Saturday after their boat sank in the Channel

An RNLI boat brings 50 migrants ashore at Dover on Saturday morning after the major rescue

READ MORE Still queuing for the dinghy gangs: Just a day after six people died crossing the Channel, dozens of migrants are seen heading for the coast in their desperate quest to reach Britain

The French are said to be intercepting just over half of attempted crossings, but the number of French police officers on patrol on their beaches has dropped a fifth this month due to a high number on annual leave, reported The Times.

Health Secretary Steve Barclay told ITV’s Good Morning Britain today: ‘We need to do a range of things and one of things is try to disrupt the criminal gangs upstream – not just in France, but where they’re sourcing their engines, where they’re sourcing their boats, as they are moving people into northern Europe.’

Presenter Richard Madeley then asked him whether the French were ‘turning a blind eye’, and Mr Barclay responded: ‘I think it’s in our interests to work cooperatively with the French, I think we’ll have more success doing that than if we don’t.’

Asked again, Mr Barclay said: ‘No. They’ve stopped 40 per cent more boats this year than last year. But it’s one of a number of things that we’re doing, and that’s why we’re also committed to our Rwanda policy, it’s why we’re looking at bringing the cost of hotels down.

‘And it’s worth remembering that Labour have voted against everything that the Government is doing. And one of the reasons it’s been difficult to make the progress we have is because of the amount of opposition we’ve had from Labour resisting the measures that we’ve wanted to do in Parliament.’

It comes as scores of migrants were seen heading for beaches in northern France last night, apparently undeterred by the deaths of the six men.

Paramedics in Dover assist a migrant who had been trying to cross the Channel on Saturday

Paramedics in Dover on Saturday wait to tend to assist migrants picked up in the Channel

A photo released by the French Navy on Saturday shows the search and rescue operation

A total of 509 people crossed the English Channel in ten boats on the day of the tragedy on Saturday.

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Wales Secretary David TC Davis defended the Government’s immigration strategy yesterday amid renewed pressure, including from Tory MPs, over its ‘stop the boats’ pledge following the incident.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has made tackling the crossings one of five key priorities for his leadership and asked people to judge him on his management of the problem.

MPs have called for action against criminal people-smuggling gangs profiting from the journeys while campaigners have described the deaths as an ‘appalling and preventable tragedy’.

Meanwhile, shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said action to deter criminal gangs facilitating the journeys is ‘desperately’ needed.

Care4Calais said it was an ‘appalling and preventable tragedy’, while the Refugee Council warned ‘more people will die’ unless more safe routes to the UK are created.

Home Secretary Suella Braverman described the incident as a ‘tragic loss of life’ and said she had chaired a meeting with Border Force officials later on Saturday.

People hold a banner with the names of migrants who have died crossing the channel since 1999 during a rally in Calais yesterday following the tragedy on Saturday off Sangette

It comes after the Government was accused of allowing its ‘small boats week’ of linked announcements on immigration to descend into farce following the removal of dozens of asylum seekers from the Bibby Stockholm barge.

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Senior Tory backbencher David Davis said the ‘startling incompetence’ of the Home Office had been laid bare after all 39 people on board the 500-capacity vessel were disembarked due to the discovery of Legionella bacteria in the water supply.

But ministers intend to push on with plans to hire more barges to house asylum seekers, as well as student halls and former office blocks, The Telegraph reported.

The people who had been on the Bibby Stockholm, which had been billed as a cheaper alternative to expensive hotels for those awaiting the outcome of their claims, are now back being housed in other accommodation.

The Home Office has said the health and welfare of asylum seekers ‘remains of the utmost priority’ and that the evacuation took place as a precautionary measure, with all protocol and advice followed.

A UK Government spokeswoman told MailOnline: ‘These deaths are devastating and our thoughts are with the victims’ families and friends at this time.

‘This incident is sadly another reminder of the extreme dangers of crossing the Channel in small boats and how vital it is that we break the people smugglers’ business model and stop the boats.’

The French coastguard said: ‘On Saturday, August 12, at the end of the night, a merchant ship reports to [The Regional Operational Monitoring and Rescue Centre] (CROSS) Gris Nez that a migrant boat seems to be at a standstill off Sangatte.

‘CROSS Gris Nez requests various state and private nautical means to try to relocate it.

‘In the early morning, the Cormoran Public Service Patroller (PSP) spotted a boat being shipwrecked in the research area. The following various French and British means, nautical and air, were engaged by the CROSS Gris Nez to rescue the shipwrecked:

‘The PSP Cormoran collected 33 shipwrecked, including one in a serious condition that was transferred to the Calais hospital by the Dauphin public service helicopter; the PSP Pluvier collected five castaways; the British RNLI 1709 collected a dozen shipwrecked people; the British chartered ship MSC Taku CPP collected three shipwrecked people; SNS077 Notre Dame du Risban collected five castaways in a grave state.

‘Unfortunately, the person transferred to the hospital in Calais and the five people collected by the Notre Dame du Risban were declared dead.

‘The 37 castaways collected by French means were all transferred to the PSP Cormorant. Their disembarkation and pick-up on land are underway at the port of Calais.

‘The five deceased people collected by SNS077 are also in the process of disembarking at the port of Calais.

‘The dozen castaways collected by British means were deposited in Dover, Great Britain.

‘The RNLI 1709 also had survivors of another operation on board. The exact count of the people collected on each of the embarkations is not easy. The human toll in the British sector is being consolidated.’

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