At least 482 people crossed to the UK aboard small boats on Wednesday – a new record for a single day.
The PA news agency, which tracks and analyses the number of migrant crossings, has compiled a list of five days when a new record was set.
– August 4, 2021: 482 people reach the UK.
The same week Home Secretary Priti Patel met with members of the Greek government to discuss “shared challenges”, a new daily record for small boats arrivals was set in the UK.
At least 482 people crossed the Dover Strait to Britain aboard 21 small boats.
Recent bad weather gave way to a window of calmer seas, with reports of multiple beach landings.
– July 19, 2021: 430 people reach the UK.
Dozens of people, including women and young children, were seen walking ashore after one beach landing on the Kent coast, while more arrived elsewhere.
Some raised their hands in celebration as they stood on the beach, while others sat down on the shingle shoreline amid 24C sunshine.
The Home Office said that overall, at least 430 people arrived in various places after travelling aboard 14 boats.
– September 2, 2020: 416 people reach the UK.
A wave of boats departed France with hundreds of migrants making their way across the sunny and calm English Channel
In the House of Commons, Prime Minister Boris Johnson faced questions over the Government’s handling of the issue of small boat crossings.
– August 6, 2020: 235 people reach the UK.
Migrants arrived in the UK aboard 17 boats in what was then the highest numbers on record.
In one incident, Border Force apprehended 15 people who had landed at Dungeness beach in Kent.
– July 30, 2020: 202 people reach the UK.
Just over 200 migrants crossed to Britain in a surge of 20 boats.
The arrivals had a diverse range of nationalities, including: Yemeni, Palestinian, Eritrean, Chadian, Egyptian, Sudanese, Kuwaiti, Iraqi, Iranian, Indian and Malian.
