The boat made the journey on Friday, when a total of 225 migrants crossed the Channel on three boats. More than 12,000 people have reached the UK in small boats so far this year, a fall of 44 percent on the same period last year. A Home Office spokesperson said: "Smuggling gangs are taking greater risks than ever, with the number of people they are cramming into unseaworthy boats rising year on year."

The Home Office said: "This crossing serves as a stark reminder that criminal gangs have no regard for the safety of those they claim to help, the reality is clear and lives are being lost in the Channel as a result. "This is exactly why we have signed a new deal with the French to prevent these perilous journeys by boosting enforcement action on beaches, building on the over 45,000 attempted crossings stopped since the election." (BBC)