Channel crossings top 21,000 for the year so far

Some 113 people made the journey in two boats on Sunday, according to Home Office data, suggesting an average of around 57 migrants per vessel.

Groups of men were driven away on a coach from a Border Force compound in Dover, Kent, on Monday (Gareth Fuller/PA) (PA Wire)

More than 21,000 migrants have arrived in the UK after crossing the Channel so far this year, figures show.

Some 113 people made the journey on two boats on Sunday, according to Home Office data, suggesting an average of about 57 migrants per vessel.

This takes the provisional total for 2023 to date to 21,086.

It means nearly 1,000 people made the crossing over the weekend after 872 people were detected on Saturday in 15 boats – the highest number in a single day so far this year.

In the past four weeks, more than 6,000 arrivals have been recorded, PA news agency analysis of the Government figures shows.

Crossings continued on Monday for a third day in a row amid dry, warm and calm but hazy conditions at sea.

Pictures showed groups of men being driven away on a coach from a Border Force compound in Dover, Kent.

The total for the year so far is still about 19% down on the number recorded this time last year, when 26,000 people had already made the journey.