More than 30,000 migrants have been caught crossing the Channel so far this year – more than the WHOLE of 2021: Heavily-pregnant woman is seen being escorted by police on Kent beach after being among latest to arrive UK coast

• Some 667 people were detected yesterday, taking the provisional total for 2022 to 30,515 – highest on record
• Further crossings have taken place today, with children and a heavily pregnant women among the arrivals 
• More than five months since the then home secretary, Priti Patel, announced plan to send migrants to Rwanda

The number of migrants crossing the English Channel has now exceeded 30,000 for the first time, new government figures show. 

Some 667 people were detected yesterday, taking the provisional total for 2022 to 30,515. This is higher than the figure for the whole of 2021, when 28,561 crossings were recorded.

Further crossings have taken place today, with children and a heavily pregnant women among the arrivals.

There have been 5,475 crossings detected so far this month, including 1,160 on September 4. This was just below the 1,295 on August 22, which is the highest daily total on record. 

Further crossings have taken place today, with children and a heavily pregnant women among the likely arrivals at Dungeness 

The heavily pregnant woman is helped by police officers across the shingle at Dungeness following the latest landings today 

There have been 5,475 crossings detected so far this month, including 1,160 on September 4. This was just below the 1,295 on August 22, which is the highest daily total on record. Pic: People are carried by the RNLI onto the beach at Dungeness 

It is more than five months since the then home secretary, Priti Patel, announced plans to send migrants to Rwanda to try to deter people from crossing the Channel.

Since then, 25,247 people have arrived in the UK after making the journey.

On April 14, Ms Patel signed what she described as a “world-first” agreement with Rwanda, under which the East African country would receive migrants deemed by the UK to have arrived “illegally”, and were therefore inadmissible under new immigration rules.

However the first deportation flight, due to take off on June 14, was grounded amid legal challenges.

Several asylum seekers, the Public and Commercial Services Union and charities Care4Calais, Detention Action and Asylum Aid, are embroiled in court cases with the Home Office as they challenge the legality of the policy.

The number of people reaching the UK in small boats from France after navigating busy shipping lanes has increased steadily in recent years.

An RNLI boat carrying a large group of migrants comes ashore at Dungeness before they were met by police 

It is more than five months since the then home secretary, Priti Patel, announced plans to send migrants to Rwanda to try to deter people from crossing the Channel

A man is helped up a shingle bank by a member of the RNLI. Despite the growing numbers, the small boat arrivals are a fraction of the number of people going to mainland Europe

Some 299 were detected in 2018, followed by 1,843 in 2019 and 8,466 in 2020, official figures show.

Despite the growing numbers, the small boat arrivals are a fraction of the number of people going to mainland Europe.

Data from the UN’s refugee agency shows at least 120,441 people arrived in Europe via the Mediterranean by land and sea last year.

The MoD said its data is taken from “live operational systems” and is subject to change, “including reduction”.

Natalie Elphicke MP for Dover has said: “The numbers of arrivals are deeply concerning. It’s vital to see the small boats crisis brought to an end as the seas will become colder and rougher as we head into Autumn and Winter.

“Action is needed now to avoid further tragic loss of life on the English Channel.”  

Data from the UN’s refugee agency shows at least 120,441 people arrived in Europe via the Mediterranean by land and sea last year. Pictured: A family arriving at Dungeness today 

A group of men wait on the beach at Dungeness after coming ashore from an RNLI boat this morning 

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