A record 165 migrants crossed the Channel to the UK in a single boat on Thursday, the Press Association understands. The number breaks the previous record from July, when 128 crossed to the UK from France in one vessel. Border Security Command was pictured by the Press Association towing the boat – dubbed a “mega dinghy” by the media – when it arrived in Dover on Thursday afternoon. Sydney Sopher, chief operations officer, said: “The UK and French governments have spent years focusing on border security and enforcement, yet all they’ve achieved is to make Channel crossings more and more dangerous. Press Association analysis of Government data shows 77,183 migrants arrived in the UK after crossing the Channel during Sir Keir Starmer’s premiership, after Labour’s election victory in July 2024.