Migrant Channel crossings resume amid calmer weather after storms
Provisional Home Office figures show 33,973 people have arrived in the UK after making the crossing so far this year.
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Migrants have braved the winter weather to cross the Channel to the UK for the first time in eight days.
Groups of people wearing life jackets were pictured being brought ashore from a Border Force boat in Dover, Kent, on Thursday.
It is the first day of crossings since December 4 and is only the third day of activity so far this month, amid calmer weather conditions in the wake of storms.
Some 33,973 migrants have arrived in the UK after crossing the Channel so far this year, provisional Home Office figures show.
This is up 17% on this time last year (29,090) but down 24% on 2022 (44,821), which was a record high year for crossings.
It comes after Germany pledged to tighten its law to make it easier to prosecute people smugglers enabling Channel crossings to Britain, as part of a new deal signed between the two countries on tackling immigration crime.
The move is expected to give German prosecutors more tools to tackle the supply and storage of dangerous boats being used in the crossings.
The latest so-called Calais Group meeting took place in London on Tuesday, with ministers and police from the UK, Germany, France, Belgium and the Netherlands agreeing a plan to tackle people smuggling gangs in 2025.
Meanwhile, the UK Government has suspended making decisions on asylum applications from Syrians following the collapse of the Assad regime.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper told MPs the move is under “constant review” as the UK continues to monitor the “fast-moving” situation.