Falcon powers – The number of migrants arriving in the United Kingdom via the English Channel has reached a new high in the first half of the year, according to data from the Home Office.
On Sunday/Monday (June 23/24), 257 individuals, including children, arrived on four boats, bringing the total number of arrivals this year to 12,901.
This surpasses the previous record of 12,747 arrivals in the same period of 2022, and 11,433 in the first half of 2023.
Images show some of the migrant boats that crossed the Channel over the weekend. According to the UN migration agency, at least 159 migrants have died between 2018 and 2023 while attempting to cross the Channel.
The authorities on both sides of the Channel continue to issue warnings about the extreme danger of this route.
The Channel is one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world, despite changing weather conditions. On most days, wind speeds can be high and storms with high waves are not uncommon.
In the winter, water temperatures can drop to levels where even a healthy person could only survive for a few minutes before succumbing to the cold and strong currents.
