Five boats carrying up to 57 suspected illegal migrants have been intercepted in the English Channel, taking the total number of those making the illegal crossing to more than 500 this month alone.
More than 2,000 have reached the UK in boats this year, while the current total for June is on the cusp of eclipsing a record number in a single month.
It has been reported that up to 57 suspected illegal migrants have been detained with emergency services called out at 5.15am, however official Home Office figures for the latest incidents are not yet known.
Five boats have been picked up off the Kent coast with another one reportedly sent back to France.
It is understood by UNN that so far this month’s official figures state that 496 migrants have reached Britain in small boats, with the crossings today set to send the figure soaring past 500.
The record for the number of crossings from Northern France to the UK in a single month stands at 558 as of April, according to the Telegraph.
It comes a day after 15 suspected illegal migrants in one vessel were rescued off the Kent coast.
The Kuwaiti, Sudanese and Iranian males were picked up in a rigid-hulled inflatable boat at 8.10am.
Throughout the whole of 2020 so far, a huge 2,226 refugees have reached the United Kingdom via Channel crossings.
The Home Secretary consistently vowed to eradicate crossings and return those who enter the country illegally, but just 155 of nearly 4,000 migrants have been sent back since January last year, figures showed.
Minister for Immigration Compliance and the Courts Chris Philp said on Tuesday: ‘Using all the skills of Border Force, the National Crime Agency, Immigration Enforcement and French Law enforcement, we are determined to dismantle these ruthless criminal gangs who facilitate these crossings and put people’s lives in danger, and bring them to justice.
‘Earlier this month two people smugglers were jailed, bringing the total jailed this year to 21.
‘Over the last two months the French stopped over 1,000 migrants from making this perilous journey, and they stopped a significant number today.
‘But we won’t stop there and will continue to work tirelessly with our French counterparts to combat this.’
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Editor-in-Chief | Carl D. Pearson has been involved in British politics and media from an early age, with the key knowledge of what it takes to run a news organisation for the 21st century. Mr Pearson, as Editor-in-chief, is responsible for supervising the daily tasks of publishing media and content to UNN’s website and various platforms.
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