Channel crossings continue as more migrants arrive in Kent
A group of people thought to be migrants are brought in to Dover, Kent, by Border Force officers, following a small boat incident in the Channel.
Gareth Fuller
More migrants have arrived in the UK for the fifth consecutive day this week after crossing the English Channel.
A man carrying a young child on his shoulders – who was wrapped in a blanket and wearing a woollen hat – were among a group of people seen arriving in Dover on Friday amid bright and breezy conditions at sea.
At least 481 migrants have arrived in the UK since Monday after making the journey across busy shipping lanes from France.
A man carries a young child as a group of people thought to be migrants are brought in to Dover, Kent, by Border Force officers, following a small boat incident in the Channel.
Gareth Fuller
The crossings continued as Home Secretary Priti Patel was seen meeting Border Force officers in the Kent port town on Thursday.
But the numbers so far are substantially lower than the week before.
A new record was set for the year so far when 1,959 people made the crossing in the week to September 10 – the highest total for any seven-day period in 2021.
At least 14,900 people have crossed to the UK on board small boats this year.
The total for 2021 so far is already more than 6,500 higher than the number of people who made the crossing in 2020.