Sub-Zero Arrival Marks Start of 2026 Crossings
The first small boat migrants of 2026 have landed on British soil amid biting sub-zero temperatures.
The UK Border Force catamaran Hurricane docked at Dover just before 4pm today carrying an unknown number of migrants on board.
Officials believe there were several dozen people aboard, though the Home Office will only confirm figures later.
The migrants had been rescued mid-Channel following a perilous crossing from northern France. This marks the first arrival since December 22.
Record-Breaking Numbers and Freezing Weather
Last year saw the second-highest total of migrants arriving by small boat, with 41,472 making the journey – a 13% increase on 2024’s 36,816 and a 41% jump from 2023’s 29,437.
Only 2022 broke that record with 45,755 arrivals.
The Met Office warned of sleet and freezing temperatures at Dover, with the cold feeling like minus 3C amid national weather alerts.
French authorities returned two failed crossing groups back across the Channel, including about 30 people found with severe hypothermia near Boulogne.
New Crackdown Powers Roll Out
As the new year kicks off, fresh powers are now in force to seize phones and SIM cards from migrants at Manston processing centre without needing an arrest.
Border officers can now even search mouths for hidden SIM cards, backed by tech able to download phone data on site.
The Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Act, passed in December, aims to speed up the fight against people smugglers.
UK Border Security Commander Martin Hewitt hailed the move as a ‘key moment’ in tackling Channel crossings.
But Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp dismissed it as a limited fix, saying it might help ‘at the margins’ but won’t solve the small boats crisis.
