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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Politics
Helen Corbett

Small boats leave France after week of no migrant crossing arrivals

People thought to be migrants board a small boat leaving the beach at Gravelines, France (Gareth Fuller/PA) - (PA Wire)

Six migrant boats have left France in the first attempt to cross the English Channel and reach the UK in days.

A group including children was seen boarding at a beach in Gravelines, between Calais and Dunkirk.

French authorities were then pictured escorting a small boat.

There have not been any arrivals of migrants crossing the Channel in small boats for a week, the latest Home Office figures show.

But 2025 is on course to set a record for Channel crossings, with more than 13,000 people having arrived so far, up 30% on the number recorded at this point last year, according to analysis of the data by the PA news agency.

French authorities escort people thought to be migrants on board a small boat leaving the beach at Gravelines (Gareth Fuller/PA) (PA Wire)

Sir Keir Starmer has pledged to crack down on small boat crossings including with measures targeting smuggling gangs.

The Home Secretary has previously said gangs have been taking advantage of a higher number of calm weather days to make crossings.

Sunny weather is forecast on Saturday with some areas potentially hitting 27C.

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