Migrants Crossing English Channel Up 25% in 2024

In 2024, a total of 36,816 migrants crossed the English Channel to the UK, marking a 25% increase from the previous year. This figure is the second highest since 2018, although it is down 20% from the record 45,774 arrivals in 2022. The rise in crossings occurred in a year when former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak acknowledged his failure to fulfill promises to 'stop the boats,' coinciding with a shift in government following the Labour Party's victory in the general election. Additionally, the controversial Rwanda migration policy faced legal challenges and was deemed unlawful, preventing its implementation. Tragically, 2024 has also seen a significant number of deaths, with the International Organization for Migration reporting 77 fatalities during crossings this year. The last recorded arrivals for the year were on December 29, when 291 migrants reached the UK in six boats.