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Two people died attempting to cross the Channel on Sunday while more than 700 migrants made the journey.
The incident in which the two migrants died involved a small boat in French waters, according to a UK government spokesperson.
About 50 people were reportedly rescued from the same boat after it sent a distress signal to the local coastguard. French authorities are now leading the investigation into the deaths.
New government data released on Monday showed that 703 people arrived in the UK after making the dangerous journey across the Channel on Sunday. This is the highest number of daily crossings since Sir Keir Starmer became prime minister.
It is not however the highest number of daily arrivals this year – which stands at 882 people on 18 June under the Conservative government.
More than 700 people travelled in just 11 small boats on Sunday, Home Office data shows.
1,172 people arrived on small boats last week, slightly up on the 713 people who arrived the week before. The latest figures take the provisional total for the year so far to 18,342, 13 per cent higher than this time last year but three per cent lower than in 2022.
2022 saw a particularly high year for Channel crossings, partially driven by a large number of Albanians making the journey that year.
Charities working with migrants at the French border said that 31 people who have died this year attempting to make the crossing.
This compares with 12 known deaths in 2023, not-for-profit organisation Utopia 56 said.
This is a breaking story and will be updated…
