A group of migrants was rescued while trying to cross the English Channel and was safely brought to shore in a lifeboat. The rescue took place on a foggy and damp Tuesday morning.
As they arrived in Dover, photos showed men, women, and children getting off the lifeboat, wrapped in thick blankets and wearing bright orange emergency thermal covers to protect them from the cold.
Many of them looked tired and shaken after the dangerous journey at sea. The RNLI crew helped them carefully off the boat, making sure they were safe.
In another scene, a separate group of migrants arrived on a larger Border Force ship. This type of ship is used by the UK government to patrol the waters along the coast. Its job is to spot and stop small boats carrying migrants before they reach the shore. These ships are an important part of the country’s efforts to manage illegal crossings and keep people safe.
The number of people making this dangerous journey continues to grow. According to the latest figures from the Home Office, 119 migrants crossed the Channel on Monday alone using only two small boats.
This brings the estimated total number of arrivals so far this year to 8,183. This is a noticeable increase compared to previous years. At this point in 2023, there had been 6,265 crossings. In 2022, the number was 4,899. This means that compared to last year, the number has gone up by 31 percent, and compared to two years ago, it has gone up by 67 percent.
This recent wave of arrivals comes just days after a new record was set. On Saturday, 656 people managed to cross the Channel in a single day. That pushed the yearly total to 8,064 at that point, breaking the previous record of 7,567 crossings between January and April of 2024. These numbers highlight how quickly the situation is changing.
A spokesperson for the Home Office responded to the latest developments by saying the government is determined to stop these risky crossings. They explained that these journeys are not only dangerous for the people involved but also make it harder to protect the country’s borders.
The spokesperson also said that criminal gangs are the ones behind many of these crossings. These gangs charge desperate people large amounts of money and send them out to sea in unsafe boats.
The spokesperson said these criminals do not care about anyone’s safety. All they care about is making a profit. The government is continuing to work hard to break up these smuggling networks and make sure the people responsible are caught and punished.
