More than 1,450 migrants arrived in the UK by small boats in August despite a UK government pledge to make the dangerous route “unviable”.
The Home Office has sought to blame French authorities and “activist lawyers” for rising numbers of crossings in recent weeks and difficulties removing asylum seekers once they arrive in Britain.
But despite the deployment of RAF planes and the appointment of a clandestine Channel threat commander, large numbers of people have continued to attempt the perilous crossing.
More than 1,450 migrants are known to have reached the UK in small boats in August, data analysis by the PA news agency shows. This is believed to be the record for a single month and is almost as much as June and July combined.
This is despite Home Secretary Priti Patel’s vow last year that the crossings would be an “infrequent phenomenon” by now, and her recent pledge to make the route “completely unviable”.
On Tuesday more suspected migrants were brought into Dover aboard Border Force patrol boat Hunter.
They were seen being ushered out of the cabin onto the back of the vessel where they were given life jackets. Immigration officials in yellow jackets then helped them ashore one by one and escorted them up the gangway.
A dinghy believed to have been used to cross the Channel was seen being towed into the harbour shortly after.
Border Force, the RNLI and French authorities remain active in the Channel with more arrivals in Dover possible later on Tuesday.
On Monday the MoD confirmed that an Army drone previously used in Afghanistan is to fly over the English Channel to monitor migrant boats as the crisis continues.
It is the first time the Watchkeeper unmanned air system, which has been used by the Army in Afghanistan, will fly in the UK operationally.
