In 2024, 36,816 people arrived in Kent after crossing the English Channel on small boats, according to figures released by the Home Office on New Year’s Day. The number marked an increase from the previous year but was lower than the 45,774 arrivals recorded in 2022. The latest group of 291 people arrived on 29 December. The United Nations considered 2024 to be the deadliest year on record for such crossings.
Official French figures noted 77 people died attempting to cross the Channel in 2024. More than 150,000 refugees reached the UK by sea since 2018. Enver Solomon, CEO of the Refugee Council, urged the UK to adopt a different approach to ensure 2025 did not repeat “last year’s devastating loss”. He called for more legal and safe routes to “provide a lifeline for those fleeing war and persecution.”
The UK government said it was working with French authorities to prevent small boats from sailing. A Home Office spokesperson emphasized that their efforts were focused on saving lives and protecting borders. The spokesperson noted that people smuggling gangs adapted their behavior by cramming more people into dangerous and flimsy boats to maximize profits.
The previous government had planned to deport illegal migrants arriving in the UK to Rwanda, Africa. But this plan was dropped by Labour shortly after their landslide victory in the July 2024 general election
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