Migrants wave the middle finger at onlookers on French coast while climbing aboard UK-bound boat as total number of people crossing Channel this year passes 13,000

• A group of forty migrants left France on a small boat from French city Gravelines on the northern coast 
• Small children wearing red life jackets were seen being led to boats by adults attempting the dangerous route
• The migrants were seemingly undeterred by vocal support by PM-hopefuls for Priti Patel’s Rwanda policy  

A group of forty migrants including young children set out on an inflatable boat bound for Britain from France today – as Channel crossings passed 13,000 this year.

Small children wearing red life jackets were spotted on the French coast near Gravelines before they made the attempt to cross the English Channel.

One migrant even flipped the finger at the photographer documenting the departures.

The inflatable boat was very full and it is unclear whether it made it to the other side of the water.

Children were being led by parents to undertake the dangerous voyage.

One migrant flipped the finger at the photographer documenting the departures on July 11, 2022

Small children wearing red life jackets were spotted on the French coast near Gravelines

Children were being led by parents to undertake the dangerous voyage

The inflatable boat was very full and it is unclear whether it made it to the other side of the water

The migrants have not been deterred by the fact that all the declared candidates in the Conservative leadership race have said they would keep Boris Johnson’s Rwanda deportation policy if they become Prime Minister.

Home Secretary Priti Patel was among the few cabinet ministers who did not sensationally quit her position earlier this week which triggered Johnson’s downfall and is rumoured to be considering a run to become Prime Minister herself.

On Wednesday, 166 migrants had to be rescued by the French authorities after their dinghies got into difficulties off the coast in a number of incidents between Calais, Boulogne and Le Touquet.

They were returned to French ports and handed over to border police.

The official total so far this year to have been detained by Border Force after making the treacherous crossing in small boats has now reached 13,103 in nearly 400 boats.

The migrants have not been deterred by the fact that all the declared candidates in the Conservative leadership race support the Rwanda deportation policy

People who seem to be those leading the departures were seen leading the migrants to get the boat into the water

About forty migrants, from various origins, carry an inflatable boat towards the water before they attempt to cross the Channel illegally to Britain

Women and children were spotted on the boat as it was sent into the English Channel on Monday morning

Children were carried by adults before they boarded the boat to make the dangerous journey across the Channel

The new departures in calm and sunny weather come despite joint French and British efforts to disrupt people-smuggling gangs.

Today’s figures have yet to be confirmed.

The new departures in calm and sunny weather come despite joint French and British efforts to disrupt people-smuggling gangs.

Attempts by Britain to begin deporting asylum seekers to Rwanda for processing – which is intended to serve as a deterrent – have been held up by court action. 

According to government figures 28,526 people made the journey in 2021 – compared to 8,410 who arrived in 2020.

France claims its security forces prevented 61 percent of attempted crossings this year, up 4.2 percent from the period last year. 

A Government spokesperson said at the time: ‘The rise in dangerous Channel crossings is unacceptable.

‘Not only are they an overt abuse of our immigration laws, but they risk lives and hinder our ability to help refugees who come to the UK through safe and legal routes.

‘The Nationality and Borders Act will enable us to crack down on abuse of the system and the evil people smugglers, who will now be subject to a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

‘Under our new Migration and Economic Development Partnership with Rwanda, we are continuing preparations to relocate those who are making dangerous, unnecessary and illegal journeys into the UK in order for their claims to be considered and rebuild their lives.’

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