Channel crossings top 21,000 for the year so far
Some 113 people made the journey in two boats on Sunday, according to Home Office data, suggesting an average of around 57 migrants per vessel.
Your support helps us to tell the story
This election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.
The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.
Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.
More than 21,000 migrants have arrived in the UK after crossing the Channel so far this year, figures show.
Some 113 people made the journey on two boats on Sunday, according to Home Office data, suggesting an average of about 57 migrants per vessel.
This takes the provisional total for 2023 to date to 21,086.
It means nearly 1,000 people made the crossing over the weekend after 872 people were detected on Saturday in 15 boats – the highest number in a single day so far this year.
In the past four weeks, more than 6,000 arrivals have been recorded, PA news agency analysis of the Government figures shows.
Crossings continued on Monday for a third day in a row amid dry, warm and calm but hazy conditions at sea.
Pictures showed groups of men being driven away on a coach from a Border Force compound in Dover, Kent.
The total for the year so far is still about 19% down on the number recorded this time last year, when 26,000 people had already made the journey.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.