Record number of asylum seekers reach UK from France
10:48, 05 August 2021
updated: 15:54, 05 August 2021
Almost 500 asylum seekers reached the UK from France yesterday in a new record for daily crossings.
The record number arrived on 21 boats on calm seas due to yesterday's sunny weather over the Channel.
It is also understood a firing exercise at Hythe ranges had to be stopped after a boat full of people reached a beach nearby.
It is the latest in a long list of crossings this year 2021 which has now seen the number of people making it to pass 10,000.
The Home Office revealed that a total of 482 people made the crossing in total yesterday, upping the previous crossing record of 430 on July 20.
Additionally, a Home Office spokesman said that French authorities had stopped a further 246 people from reaching the UK.
The number came from a total of eight crossings stopped by French boats.
The Ministry of Defence has been approached for comment.
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