Dozens of migrants have been photographed climbing onto a flimsy boat off the French coast in a desperate attempt to reach Britain, before they were stopped by police.
The botched crossing comes as the Bibby Stockholm, a controversial floating barge intended to house hundreds of male asylum seekers, reached its final destination on the Dorset coast this morning.
Haunting images show the large number of people clinging to a small boat just meters from the beach at Sangette in northern France as they tried to make the perilous journey to Britain.
Hundreds of migrants crossed the English Channel in small boats today as people smugglers took advantage of calm conditions.
French policemen patrolling the shores were photographed trying to prevent the departure of an inflatable boat, which was filled beyond capacity and could barely stay on the water..
Officials today seized dozens of male migrants as they tried to launch a boat from a beach in Sangette in northern France.
Police check a migrant who tried to board a rubber boat to try to cross the English Channel illegally
Migrants sit aboard an inflatable boat before attempting to cross the English Channel illegally
Members of the public watch as migrants sit aboard an inflatable boat before attempting to cross the English Channel illegally.
Police officers work to prevent the departure of an inflatable boat carrying migrants trying to cross the English Channel illegally to reach Britain, at Sangatte beach.
A French police officer was seen gesturing to his colleagues as they tried to prevent an inflatable boat from leaving.
Dozens of migrants tried to get on a boat, some not even wearing life jackets for the dangerous crossing.
The agents involved in the operation are believed to belong to the Direction centrale de la police aux frontières, which is responsible for border control.
Sangatte, on the outskirts of Calais, is known for hosting an ad hoc camp built for migrants trying to reach Britain.
It is a popular departure point for migrants who feel they have no choice but to make the perilous journey.
There are constant patrols on the beaches in the area and earlier this year UK Border Force officers joined French beach patrols for the first time in a bid to stem the flow of migrants into the country. .
Last year a record 45,755 people came to Britain by small boat across the Channel, mainly from France.
This year more than 12,000 have arrived, a rate similar to that of 2022.
Border Force boats have been bringing in groups of asylum seekers all day after days of high winds created treacherous conditions in the Strait of Dover.
A group of people arrive in Dover today following an incident with a small boat in the canal.
At one point, the large Border Force catamaran Hurricane was followed into port, another Ranger catamaran entered Dover harbor full of people picked up in small boats at sea.
Men, women and young children were among those who disembarked at the processing center in the old jetfoil terminal at the port.
It is the first to land in the UK by a small boat since Friday since 56 were intercepted in a boat.
So far this month, 1,767 have made the journey in 33 boats.
And in 2023 a total of 13,250 have been collected in 290 boats.
Last year saw a record 45,755 treacherous crossers, 60 percent more than the 2021 total of 28,526.
But officials have forecast that up to 80,000 migrants could arrive in the UK by the end of this year.
The UK government has been scrambling to figure out how to house those arriving in the country, and accommodation costs for those being prosecuted have skyrocketed.
The Bibby Stockholm (pictured arriving in Dorset this morning) is a huge migrant barge capable of holding up to 500 migrants.
Amid a backlog of asylum cases in the UK, the government is trying to reduce the cost of hotel bills by using alternative accommodation, including the Bibby Stockholm and former military bases.
The Bibby Stockholm, a three-story, 93-meter long accommodation ship, has the capacity to house up to 500 immigrants.
The first asylum seekers are expected to board the ship in the popular seaside resort later this month.
Yesterday she left Falmouth in Cornwall for her final destination of Portland, near Weymouth.
The first asylum seekers are expected to board the ship in the popular seaside resort later this month. Pictured: The Bibby Stockholm being towed away this morning
But the move has sparked protests from locals who fear the impact the new arrivals will have on the town community.
Crowds of people holding signs reading ‘No Barge’, ‘Portland Port Betrays Portland’ and ‘Portland Betrayed’ were seen this morning outside Portland Harbor near Weymouth as they awaited the arrival of the ships.
Local politicians criticized the plans as “cruel and unusual”, adding that the community does not have the proper infrastructure to house more people in the area.
I am Rakesh Sharma, I associated with Elite News as an Editor, since 2021. I take care of all the news operations like content, budget, hiring and policy making.