Around 155 small boat migrants crossed the English Channel on August 5th, the first day after the British government announced a new partial returns agreement with France.
The Border Force vessel Typhoon arrived at Dover harbor just before 1:30 p.m., carrying the first group of migrants intercepted that morning. At least 60 people were picked up just after 11:30 a.m., with 81 disembarking from the Typhoon at the Western Jet Foil, home to the Border Force migrant processing center. Fifteen minutes later, the vessel Ranger followed with 74 more migrants, mostly young men.
The surge in crossings came just one day after Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s government unveiled its migrant returns deal with France. The timing has prompted criticism that the agreement is doing little to deter illegal crossings.
