Dramatic pictures captured the moment migrants ran into the water to board a dinghy heading towards the UK. Dozens of people, including women and children, climbed onto the boat at Gravelines beach, on the French coastline, on Thursday morning.
A video shows the migrants charging across the beach and through water to reach the overcrowded dinghy. They then climb onboard before being handed life jackets by French authorities ahead of the perilous journey.
No police can be seen on the beach as the group of around 40 people, believed to be around half of the total group, left on the dinghy. Among those who got on the boat were a family with two children.
According to PA, a boat dropped off several men at around 5am before a second boat came close to shore. It then circled the water before the migrants appeared and rushed towards the boat.
Some pictures show children on their parents’ shoulders as they head towards the dinghy. Others show migrants wading through waist-high water in a desperate bid to reach the boat on the French coast.
Over 22,500 people have arrived in the UK across the Channel so far this year, which is over a 50% increase from the same time in 2024 and 70% higher than the year before. An Express investigation saw 13 boats, carrying 802 migrants, across the Channel over just three days last week.
Recent figures show that immigration will cause the UK’s population to rise faster than any large EU country. The United Nations expects the British population to hit 74.3 million by the end of the century.
Conservative peer Robin Hodgson said: “If we don’t start putting plans in place now, the problems we face later will be far harder to solve.”
A total of 44,000 people have made the journey across the English channel since Labour won the election last year. The influx has led to strain on the public purse and left public services at breaking point.
Hundreds of millions of pounds have been spent on asylum hotels while the number of foreign nationals claiming Universal Credit has increased significantly.
The UK and France recently announced the trial of a “one-in, one-out” scheme. It will see 800 migrants being returned to France by the end of 2025 while an equal amount will then be able to come to the UK from France through a new legal route.
The scheme, which will start in August, is designed to stop criminal gangs who profit from enabling journeys across the Channel. The government hopes it will lead to more migrants being returned after the trial.
A Downing Street spokesman said: “The leaders agreed tackling the threat of irregular migration and small boat crossings is a shared priority that requires shared solutions.
“The two leaders agreed on the need to go further and make progress on new and innovative solutions, including a new deterrent to break the business model of these gangs.”
It comes after Sir Keir Starmer has faced heavy criticism in recent months for “losing control” of the UK’s borders. Over 1,000 people arrived in one day last month.
