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Updated 14 August 2023
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/migrants-detected-crossing-the-english-channel-in-small-boats/migrants-detected-crossing-the-english-channel-in-small-boats-last-7-days
This page shows figures for the last 7 days for irregular migrants detected crossing the English Channel in small boats without permission to enter the UK.
See the latest press statement on small boat crossings.
A longer time series of daily numbers from 1 January 2023 is also available.
These statistics are taken from provisional operational data and are subject to change. They may differ from figures published in the final official statistics on Irregular migration to the UK, which will have undergone a more thorough quality assurance process.
The data may also differ from daily figures previously published by the Ministry of Defence, due to the point at which arrivals are counted and differences in the counting of ‘boats’ compared to ‘events’. This means that total arrivals over long time periods should be similar between the two sources, but Home Office figures for number of boats detected will be higher than the Ministry of Defence’s figures where boats arriving together would be counted as one.
The quarterly Irregular migration to the UK statistical release presents final and authoritative statistics on small boat arrivals.
A ‘small boat’ is one of a number of vessels used by individuals who cross the English Channel, with the aim of gaining entry to the UK without a visa or permission to enter – either directly by landing in the UK or having been intercepted at sea by the authorities and brought ashore. The most common small vessels detected making these types of crossings are rigid-hulled inflatable boats (RHIBs), dinghies and kayaks.
‘Boats involved in uncontrolled landings’ are a subset of ‘boats detected’. Uncontrolled landings are boats which arrive without interception. Any people detected in uncontrolled landings are counted in ‘irregular migrants recorded arriving by small boat’.
Irregular migration to the UK: quarterly data on small boat crossings and other irregular migration routes from 2018 onwards.
Migrants detected crossing the English Channel in small boats – monthly data: data on daily small boat crossings, from 14 April 2022 to 30 January 2023 (historic data published by Ministry of Defence; not updated).
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