Record number of migrants cross Channel to UK

London: A record-breaking number of 853 migrants crossed the Channel in small boats on a single day this week, the UK’s interior ministry said Friday.

The Home Office said that UK authorities had rescued or intercepted at least 853 migrants in 25 separate incidents on Wednesday. This exceeded the previous highest figure of 828 set in late August and is the highest number since the crisis began. The past three years have seen a significant rise in attempted Channel crossings by migrants, despite warnings of the dangers in the busy shipping lane between northern France and southern England, which is subject to strong currents and low temperatures.