The number of people crossing the English Channel in small boats has risen above 23,000 for the year so far, GB News can reveal.
Official figures from the Ministry of Defence show 500 people were detected crossing into UK waters on four small boats on Tuesday.
That followed a record day on Monday, where 1,295 people crossed in 27 small boats, the biggest number detected on a single day, since the small boat crisis began more than four years ago.
GB News’ Kent based producer reports that so far today, Border Force vessels have brought a further 416 Channel migrants into Dover harbour.
Border Force is also responding to more possible sightings of other small boats in the Channel.
A group of people thought to be migrants are brought in to Dover
Gareth Fuller
Migrants are brought in to Ramsgate, Kent
Gareth Fuller
The arrivals so far today take the number of people who have crossed into UK waters since 1 January to 23,360.
The figure has been reached just ten days after the number of Channel migrants passed the 20,000 mark.
A GB News team in north western France said that thousands of people are currently housed in makeshift camps, mainly around Calais and Dunkirk, waiting for an opportunity to make it across the Channel.
A Government spokesman said: “The rise in dangerous Channel crossings is unacceptable.
"Not only are they an overt abuse of our immigration laws but they risk the lives of vulnerable people, who are being exploited by ruthless criminal gangs.
“Our new Nationality and Borders Act is breaking these evil criminals’ business model, through tougher sentences for those who facilitate illegal entry into the country, with 38 people already arrested and facing further action since it became law.”