More than 40,000 migrants have travelled to the UK in small boats so far this year, new figures showed today, as ministers unveiled details of a new plan to try and deter crossings.
The Ministry of Defence said 22 boats carrying 972 people had been detected yesterday taking the provisional total for the year to 40,885.
The figure is already almost 30 per cent higher than the 28,561 crossings recorded last year and, depending on weather conditions, is expected to rise still further in the coming days.
The arrivals on Saturday were the first so far in November, with the most recent crossings previously made on October 31 when 46 people were found on one boat.
August 22 saw the highest daily total on record,