Numbers of people trying to reach British shores have surged in the summer months, prompting the UK government to deploy RAF planes to the English Channel in an effort to tackle the problem.
This is despite UK Home Secretary Priti Patel’s vow last year that the crossings would be an “infrequent phenomenon” by now, and her recent pledge to make the route “completely unviable”.
The milestone comes as French prosecutors investigate the death of a Sudanese migrant whose body was found on a beach in France earlier this week.
Recent attempts by the Government to put a stop to migrant crossings have included asking the armed forces for help and the appointment of a new “clandestine Channel threat commander”.
Meanwhile, the Government has called on councils to “take responsibility” as it urgently tries to find care for lone migrant children who have crossed the Channel to the UK.
Late on Thursday an emotional plea for compassion for migrants, featuring NHS cleaner Hassan Akkad, was beamed on to the White Cliffs of Dover.
Several crossings in the last week have taken the number of migrants who have reached the UK by small boat this year to more than 5,000, analysis by the PA news agency showed.
More than 1,000 others are known to have been intercepted by French authorities as they tried to reach the UK.
Declared nationalities of migrants intercepted by Border Force have included: Iraqi, Iranian, Sudanese, Yemeni, Syrian, Eritrean, Kuwaiti, Tajikstani, Vietnamese, Guinean, Malian, Ethiopian, Turkish, Afghan, Palestinian, Sri Lankan, Egyptian, Ethiopian, Pakistani, Chadian, Somali, Togolese, Nigerian, Libyan, South Sudanese, Albanian and Chinese.
Dan O’Mahoney, the Home Office’s new clandestine Channel threat commander, returned to France on Thursday to continue discussions with officials in Paris and Calais in a bid to tackle the migrant crossings crisis.
Around 10pm on Thursday the famous White Cliffs of Dover were lit up with a giant video of Mr Akkad, a Syrian refugee who crossed to Britain several years ago.
He highlighted the “terrifying and devastating” journeys so many people are making to reach the UK by boat, and blamed the Government for using the crisis as a distraction from the coronavirus pandemic.
The giant projection was the latest stunt from Led By Donkeys, a group of activists famed for their giant billboards of politicians’ tweets.
In the video, Mr Akkad said: “Hello everyone. Apologies for taking over the cliff but I have a few words that I would love to share with you.
“My name is Hassan and five years ago I was on the other side of this Channel trying to cross here.
“These cliffs were actually visible from our makeshift camp and they represented hope.”
He argued that Britain is not facing a refugee crisis, but the migrant crossings are being used as a distraction by the UK's government.
