(Adnkronos) – More than 5,800 migrants have reached the United Kingdom by crossing the English Channel in small boats since the beginning of the year, a record number for this period. Yesterday alone, according to the British Home Office, 335 arrivals were recorded, adding to the 241 on Saturday, 246 on Friday, 341 on Thursday and 289 on Wednesday, according to official statistics released by the government. The figures for the first quarter – not yet over – therefore exceed the 5,435 confirmed between January and March 2024.
The IOM, International Organization for Migration, estimates that at least 9 people have died this year trying to cross the Channel. Since IOM began collecting data in 2014, more than 330 migrants have died while crossing. The British and French authorities signed an agreement this month to strengthen cooperation in this area with the aim of stepping up the fight against human trafficking gangs.
