Channel crossings: More than 800 migrants make perilous journey in new daily record

The number of attempts for the following days – Sunday and Monday – are yet to be confirmed.

Dan O’Mahoney, the clandestine Channel threat commander for the Government, told Sky News: “These dangerous crossings from safe EU countries are completely unnecessary and we are determined to take down the evil criminal gangs behind them.

“We’re working across government as well as with French and international partners to tackle this issue.

“We have doubled the number of police officers on French beaches, prevented more than 10,000 attempts, secured nearly 300 arrests and 65 prosecutions.

“The Government’s new plan for immigration will fix the broken asylum system so it can no longer be exploited in this way.”

Last year, 8,417 people reached the UK after crossing the Channel – four times more than the amount from 2019.

The highest amount of people reaching UK shores safely was 416 in a single day in 2020, all of whom arrived on one boat that was deemed as unsafe.

The numbers have continued to rise despite Home Secretary Priti Patel to make the route ‘unviable’ and an “infrequent phenomenon” by spring 2020.

Throughout 2021, the military has regularly stepped in to help limit the crossings, with RAF planes watching over the Channel.

Ms Patel is considering increasing prison sentences for those attempting to enter the UK illegally to four years.

Life sentences are being considered for those who assist attempts.

Ms Patel is also looking at ways to encourage people to claim asylum in the first safe country they reach, rather than trying to make their way to the UK.