Channel crossings resume following quiet weekend

Channel crossings have resumed following two days without any being recorded.

On Tuesday, 49 people including women and children were brought to shore in Dover, Kent, by Border Force after one small boat was intercepted.

There were no crossings recorded on Sunday or Monday.

PA news agency analysis of Ministry of Defence and Home Office figures brings the total number of people brought to Britain so far this year after attempting to cross the Channel to 11,692.

Last week was the busiest week for Channel crossings since April.

Some 1,512 people were brought to shore after being intercepted in the Channel last week.

The busiest week for Channel crossings so far this year was April 11 to 17, when 1,792 people were brought to shore – but the busiest seven-day period was 2,076 people who crossed in the seven days to April 19.

Crossings have continued despite the threat of asylum seekers being sent to Rwanda under new Home Office plans.

However, the first flight to Rwanda, planned for last Tuesday, was cancelled at the last minute following an order from the European Court of Human Rights.

Home Secretary Priti Patel has previously described the court’s decision as politically motivated while Justice Secretary Dominic Raab said it was wrong for the injunction to be granted.

Ongoing court battles have created uncertainty over when any further attempts to fly asylum seekers to the African country will be made, although Ms Patel has said the Government “will not be deterred from doing the right thing, we will not be put off by the inevitable last-minute legal challenges”.