In 2022 over 45,000 migrants crossed Channel to arrive in UK
According to official statistics revealed on Sunday, more than 45,000 migrants from continental Europe crossed the English Channel to the UK in 2022, breaking the previous year's record by more than 17,000 migrants, Azernews reports citing Al Arabiya.
The issue has grown to be a major political headache for the Conservative government, which has vowed to reduce illegal immigration and dismantle the smuggling organizations responsible for the border crossings.
Last year, 45,756 people, as opposed to 28,526 in 2021, braved the perilous small-boat crossing of one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world.
In the Channel's frigid conditions, four people perished last month when a small boat carrying migrants capsized.
43 people were rescued from the chilly waters by a nearby fishing boat.
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