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A record 781 migrants crossed the English Channel to enter the United Kingdom in a single day on September 23, according to British police and coastguard officials.
The migrants arrived in 10 small boats, marking the highest number of undocumented migrants to reach the UK in one day so far this year, according to Home Office figures.
However, overall Channel crossings have fallen significantly compared with 2025. A total of 18,556 migrants have crossed the Channel to the UK since January, compared with 32,188 during the same period last year — a decline of 42%.
The latest arrivals came after nearly five days without any small boats making the crossing. About 150 people arrived in three boats from France on September 21 and 22.
The Home Office said Wednesday’s figure was the highest single-day arrival since 803 people crossed on December 20, 2025.
The highest number recorded in a single day in recent years was 1,305 on September 3, 2022.
The English Channel is one of the world’s busiest and most dangerous shipping routes. Crossings tend to increase during warmer weather and calmer sea conditions, with monthly arrivals usually peaking between June and September.
The UK government said it had made “undeniable progress” in tackling small-boat crossings but acknowledged that further action was needed.
Labour Deputy Leader Lucy Powell told BBC Radio that the government was taking measures, including providing additional resources and introducing new legislation, to reduce the number of people making the journey in small boats.
“If there was a button we could press that would stop small boats tomorrow, we would press it,” Powell told BBC Radio Kent, saying the government understood public frustration and was taking action to address the issue.