The United Kingdom Government figures have shown that more than 300,000 migrants have crossed the Channel in small boats since the beginning of the year.
The number of migrants reaching the UK with small boats has increased significantly over the years. Even though 2022 has not ended yet, the authorities have shown that the number of migrants who have reached the UK shores has already exceeded the total for 2021, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports.
Only on Wednesday, September 21, a total of 667 migrants and 15 boats were detected by the authorities and brought to the shore, the UK Ministry of Defence revealed.
Media have reported that among the people in the boats were also children who were wrapped in blankets. In addition, others were also wearing winter coats.
Info Migrants explains that commenting on the high number of migrant arrivals, a government spokesperson said for BBC that the rise in crossing was an abuse of UK’s immigration laws.
Care4Calais, a volunteer-run charity supporting refugees in the UK, France and Belgium, also commented on the matter. The charity said that it is the government’s fault for failing to implement a sensible policy to stop small boat crossings.
“People who have escaped from the worst horrors in the world shouldn’t be risking their lives to claim asylum in the UK. The government’s failure to implement a sensible policy to stop small boat crossings encourages more to come & risks more loss of life,” Care4Calais wrote on its official Twitter account.
According to Info Migrants, Albanians, Afghans, Iranians, Iraqis, and Syrians are the top five nationalities of arrivals.
Before data for July and August were available, the UK Home Office said that a total of 12,747 people arrived from January until June 2022.
As soon as other data was gathered, the authorities said that in July, the country registered 3,683 arrivals, and in August, it registered 8,641 arrivals. September has also registered a high number of arrivals. On September 3, a total of 860 people spread over 20 boats arrived on the UK shores.
AFP said that the French police have already dismantled a major migrant smuggling ring that has been sending migrants to the UK. The French officials seized over a dozen boats as well as 700 life jackets.
It has been explained that the smuggling ring was reportedly run by Iraqi Kurdish migrants. Three of those involved in the smuggling ring have already been charged. In addition, it has been pointed out that the police have also charged three French suspects.
SOURCE: Schengen Visa Info
