A record 128 migrants crossed the English Channel in a single small boat on Friday, marking the highest number ever recorded aboard one vessel making the journey to the UK.
The crossing was one of three made that day, with a total of 225 people arriving in the UK, according to Home Office figures.
Despite the latest record, more than 12,000 migrants have crossed the Channel in small boats so far this year, a 44% decrease compared with the same period last year.
The previous record for the number of people on a single boat stood at 125.
A Home Office spokesperson warned that people-smuggling gangs are increasingly overcrowding boats, putting lives at greater risk.
“Smuggling gangs are taking greater risks than ever, with the number of people they are cramming into unseaworthy boats rising year on year,” the spokesperson said.
The Home Office added that the latest crossing highlighted the dangers posed by criminal networks.
“This crossing serves as a stark reminder that criminal gangs have no regard for the safety of those they claim to help, the reality is clear and lives are being lost in the Channel as a result.”
The spokesperson also pointed to the UK’s recent agreement with France aimed at reducing dangerous crossings.
“This is exactly why we have signed a new deal with the French to prevent these perilous journeys by boosting enforcement action on beaches, building on the over 45,000 attempted crossings stopped since the election.”