![Pinterest](https://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https://uknews.evprotec.com/tory-stop-the-boats-pledge-in-tatters-as-509-cross-channel-on-day-of-tragedy/&media=https://uknews.evprotec.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/0_Screenshot-2023-08-12-at-124113.jpg&description=New Home Office figures reveal 1,600 people made the perilous journey in three days, including 509 on Saturday - the day six people died and at least 58 were rescued More than 500 asylum seekers crossed the English Channel yesterday - the day six lives were lost in the latest small boats tragedy. New Home Office figures reveal 1,600 people made the perilous journey in three days, including 509 on Saturday as Rishi Sunak's 'stop the boats' pledge lies in tatters. Six men, who are believed to have been from Afghanistan, died and at least 58 asylum seekers were rescued in yesterday's tragedy. It means more than 16,600 asylum seekers have crossed the Channel the start of the year, while the number since 2018 has passed 100,000. Years of Tory failure means the UK has a record backlog of people awaiting an asylum decision, meaning tens of thousands are living in hotels and banned from working. According to survivors, around 65 people had originally boarded the overloaded vessel before a passing ship saw it sinking off the French coast and raised the alarm at around 4.20am. Campaigners have called the deaths an "appalling and preventable tragedy" amid calls for stronger action over people-smuggling gangs. The Refugee Council warned "more people will die" unless more safe routes to the UK are created. Meanwhile a union chief said they Tories "have blood on their hands". Head of bargaining at the Public and Commercial Services union, Paul O'Connor said: "There is a readily available policy to prevent this tragic loss of life. "Unfortunately, our calls on the government to adopt it have fallen on stony ground. It's clear they have no desire to prevent these dangerous crossings. "Instead, they're pouring taxpayers' money down the drain on policies which are unlawful, unworkable and doomed to failure." Ministers "want to scapegoat refugees" in a bid to distract from "catastrophic failings" on people's living standards," Mr O'Connor said. "They don't care that people die as a re){kind=link}
New Home Office figures reveal 1,600 people made the perilous journey in three days, including 509 on Saturday – the day six people died and at least 58 were rescued
More than 500 asylum seekers crossed the English Channel yesterday – the day six lives were lost in the latest small boats tragedy.
New Home Office figures reveal 1,600 people made the perilous journey in three days, including 509 on Saturday as Rishi Sunak’s ‘stop the boats’ pledge lies in tatters. Six men, who are believed to have been from Afghanistan, died and at least 58 asylum seekers were rescued in yesterday’s tragedy.
It means more than 16,600 asylum seekers have crossed the Channel the start of the year, while the number since 2018 has passed 100,000. Years of Tory failure means the UK has a record backlog of people awaiting an asylum decision, meaning tens of thousands are living in hotels and banned from working.
According to survivors, around 65 people had originally boarded the overloaded vessel before a passing ship saw it sinking off the French coast and raised the alarm at around 4.20am. Campaigners have called the deaths an “appalling and preventable tragedy” amid calls for stronger action over people-smuggling gangs. The Refugee Council warned “more people will die” unless more safe routes to the UK are created.