A small boat with 128 people on board has reached Britain from across the English Channel on July 10. The arrival marks the largest-ever known number of people to make the dangerous crossing in a single vessel.
In total, 225 migrants managed to reach the UK across the English Channel on three boats on July 10, according to data released by the Home Office.
However, the arrival of a single boat with 128 is a notable outlier, causing concern over the increasingly unscrupulous methods used by criminal people smuggling gangs to move people for profit.
A spokesperson for the Home Office commented: "Smuggling gangs are taking greater risks than ever, with the number of people they are cramming into unseaworthy boats rising year on year."
"This crossing serves as a stark reminder that criminal gangs have no regard for the safety of those they claim to help, the reality is clear and lives are being lost in the Channel as a result," the statement continued.
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The previous record for the highest number of migrants crossing the Channel in one boat was 125 last September, according to the UK Press Association (PA) news agency.
Arrival numbers continue to fall
With mild weather conditions encouraging smugglers to send dozens of people across the Channel, authorities expect more arrivals over the coming days and weeks.
In total, close to 12,500 people have succeeded in reaching the UK from the French and -- to a lesser extent -- Belgian shores to date this year.
The number reflects a 44 percent drop compared to the first six-and-a-half months last year, as the government continues to fight to bring down the number of small boat crossings.
Compared to the first six months of 2024, the current number of arrivals also represents a fall of 12 percent.
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Britain's fight against irregular immigration
The British government remains under fire for a perception of not doing enough to stop the arrival of small-boat migrants -- despite statistical data showing a steep decline.
As part of its multi-pronged policy, Britain has signed deals with European partners to make it difficult for smugglers to obtain the parts they need to operate their boats.
The UK's closest partner in the fight against irregular immigration, France, has also agreed to significantly boost patrols along its northern beaches in a recently renewed deal -- in exchange for a cash injection from Britain equivalent to 775 million euros over the next three years.
Meanwhile, the number of deportations from the UK has also been increasing steadily, with the government announcing plans to make returns of people who are not allowed to remain in Britain even easier in the future.
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with AFP, dpa, PA