Channel Small Boat Arrivals Surpass 20,000 This Year After Recent Surge

Almost 1,300 migrants arrived in Britain via small boats in a four-day period ending Monday, the busiest stretch this year, pushing the total number of arrivals past 20,000 for 2023. The Home Office confirmed 609 migrants were brought ashore on Monday, bringing the year's total to 20,478.

The Friday to Monday period saw 1,282 arrivals, surpassing the previous four-day high of 1,202 recorded in June. Unconfirmed arrivals continued on Tuesday, with Border Force vessels active in the early morning.

Tragic incidents marked Monday's crossings from France, with two men dying and two women sustaining injuries. French authorities reported the men, aged in their 30s and 40s, died after departing from the coast at Berck. The women were hospitalized with severe burns.

Last week, a 10-year-old child and two women died when an inflatable dinghy carrying 105 people capsized. Separately, a controversial migrant landing in Gosport, Hampshire, led to accusations that the government had lost control of the situation. On Sunday night, 149 migrants picked up mid-Channel were brought ashore in Gosport. The town was placed under a police dispersal order until Tuesday morning.

Gosport's Conservative MP, Dame Caroline Dinenage, acknowledged local frustration, stating, "It’s the hallmark of a Government that has completely lost its grip."

The Portsmouth area has been a focal point for protests against migrant arrivals, including an incident last month where 140 migrants were disembarked at Eastney marina.

Officials suggest that trafficking gangs have shifted tactics, launching dinghies from Normandy and heading towards the Hampshire coast—a route hundreds of miles from the traditional Calais to Dover crossing. This change is attributed to increased beach patrols by French police in the Calais area, part of a security deal signed in April.

Meanwhile, reports indicate that Labour's "one in, one out" migrant deal with France, which allowed for the return of Channel small boat migrants, has ceased processing new cases. Prime Minister Andy Burnham's efforts to extend the deal were reportedly rebuffed by French President Emmanuel Macron. France is said to be seeking a broader agreement that would involve Britain accepting migrants from other European Union countries.

The conclusion of this scheme could potentially lead to an increase in small boat arrivals, following recent declines. While cases already in progress will continue, the end of new case processing marks a significant shift in the bilateral agreement. The first removal under this scheme occurred on September 18 last year, with over 1,500 migrants returned to France and a similar number coming to the UK.