by Zainab Elhaj and Will Russell
PAS DE CALAIS (Reuters) – Dozens of exiles mounted on two inflatable boats reached the English coast on Saturday after crossing Calais, Reuters journalists noted.
The migrants, mostly men, crossed the strait closely followed by a French navy vessel which turned around when they entered British territorial waters.
They were then taken aboard a British Border Police boat.
These latest arrivals show that the policy of extreme firmness initiated by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak does not dissuade exiles from taking to the sea to reach the United Kingdom, even after the promulgation of controversial legislation which provides for deportation to the United Kingdom. Rwanda of asylum seekers present on British soil.
More than 8,000 people arrived in 2024 on the English coast after crossing the Channel, a record for that time of year.
(Sachin Ravikumar; French version Nicolas Delame)
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