The number of migrants crossing the English Channel in a single year has passed 20,000 in record time.
Some 440 people made the journey in eight boats on Tuesday, bringing the total for 2025 so far to 20,422, Home Office figures confirmed.
This is up 50% on this point last year (13,574) and 79% higher than at this stage in 2023 (11,433), according to PA news agency analysis.
It is the earliest point in a calendar year at which the 20,000 mark has been passed since data on Channel crossings was first reported in 2018.
Last year the figure was passed on August 28, and in 2023 it was August 29.
The first year in which at least 20,000 arrivals were recorded was 2022, when the milestone was passed on August 14, and the total went on to hit a record 45,774 by the end of December.
The figures come as Channel crossings continued on Wednesday, with pictures showing migrants in life jackets and blankets disembarking a Border Force vessel in Dover, Kent.
Cabinet minister Pat McFadden told LBC on Wednesday “everyone in Government knows it’s a big challenge”.
The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster said: “We are going to have to work harder to bring the numbers down.
“Everyone in Government knows it’s a big challenge, and as a team we are determined to meet it.”
Pressed specifically on whether the numbers would be down by this time next year, Mr McFadden said: “I’m not going to make a prediction.”
Asked again for an assurance that the numbers will reduce, he added: “I can give you an assurance that the numbers at the moment are too high. We are working together to tackle this.”
The Government’s Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill is continuing through Parliament, and will hand counter terror-style powers to police and introduce new criminal offences to crack down on people-smuggling gangs.
It has been reported that the UK and France are agreeing a one in, one out migrant returns deal, under which migrants who arrive in the UK by small boats are returned to France, in exchange for the UK accepting those with legitimate claims to join family already in the country.
Meanwhile French officials have also agreed to changes that would allow police patrolling the coast to take action in the sea when migrants climb into boats from the water, which is yet to come into effect.
The UK’s borders watchdog, David Bolt, said in June he did not feel “very optimistic about the ability to smash the gangs”, adding that with organised crime “the best thing you can do is deflect it to something else you’re less concerned about rather than expect to eradicate it”.
Shadow home secretary Chris Philp said: “One year into Labour’s Government and the boats haven’t stopped – they’ve multiplied.
“Labour tore up our deterrent and replaced it with fantasy.
“This is the worst year on record, and it’s become a free-for-all.
“We need a removals deterrent so every single illegal immigrant who arrives is removed to a location outside Europe.
“The crossings will then rapidly stop.”
