More than 900 crossed English Channel to reach UK in past week, data show
317 people crossed English Channel via 5 small boats on Saturday, highest daily figure this year
LONDON
A total of 901 migrants have crossed the English Channel to enter Britain in past seven days, according to figures released Thursday.
The figures revealed by the Home Office show that in total, 901 people on 14 small boats arrived in the UK on Jan. 14-21.
On Jan. 5, 32 people reached the UK in a single small boat, marking the first English Channel crossing of the new year after four consecutive days without any detected arrivals.
Meanwhile, as many as 317 people crossed the English Channel via five small boats on Saturday, the highest daily figure in 2026.
The crossing comes after a year of elevated migration levels.
A total of 41,472 migrants navigated the English Channel in small boats in 2025 — nearly 5,000 more than in 2024.
The increase came despite enhanced measures by the UK government to curb irregular migration.
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