Over 400 migrants arrived in the UK on Tuesday after a day of tragic events in the English Channel, where five people, including a child, died while trying to cross. Small boats carrying migrants left France throughout the day, just hours after Parliament passed legislation that would allow the government to send asylum seekers to Rwanda if they arrive in the UK illegally. The crossings resumed after an eight-day break in Channel activity, and Home Office figures show that 402 people made the journey in seven boats on Tuesday. Young children and babies were among those seen being brought ashore in Dover, Kent, while witnesses described how crews carried someone on a stretcher from a lifeboat to an ambulance. The latest crossings take the provisional total for the year so far to 6,667 – 20% higher than this time last year (5,546) but slightly lower (down 0.4%) than the figure recorded at this stage in 2022 (6,691). The tragedy in the Channel came as Parliament was debating the government’s Rwanda plan, which would see asylum seekers who arrive in the UK illegally sent to the African country to have their claims processed. The plan has been criticized by campaigners, who say it is inhumane and will not deter people from making dangerous journeys to the UK. But Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said the incident underscores the need for the deterrent the Government hopes sending migrants to the east African nation if they arrive illegally in the UK will bring. The National Crime Agency (NCA) said it would be supporting the French investigation into the deaths with UK police and Border Force. Some 29,437 made the journey in 2023, down 36% on a record 45,774 arrivals in 2022.
Over 400 Migrants Arrive in the UK Amid Channel Crossing Tragedy
