More than 500 migrants cross English Channel on Wednesday, provisional statistics show

More than 500 migrants are believed to have crossed the English Channel on Wednesday, the highest number in one day so far this year.

The Home Office said in provisional statistics that 514 migrants were detected crossing in small boats on 20 March.

They added that 10 small boats were detected.

The cumulative number of arrivals by small boats in 2024 now stands at a provisional total of 4,043, 10% higher than the same point in 2023, which saw 3,683.

In total, there were 29,437 arrivals across the whole of 2023.

This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly.

Please refresh the page for the fullest version.

You can receive Breaking News alerts on a smartphone or tablet via the Sky News App. You can also follow @SkyNews on X or subscribe to our YouTube channel to keep up with the latest news.