Ninety asylum seekers made the perilous journey across the Channel on small boats on Christmas Day, it has been revealed.

Ministry of Defence figures show two vessels landed on Kent shores yesterday.

The crossings on December 25 mean almost 45,000 people have crossed the sea this year, dwarfing 2021's total of 28,526.

This comes after four men - who have not yet been identified - died when their dinghy capsized in British waters on December 14.

Det Insp Ross Gurden told an inquest opening on Friday that efforts are being made to name the victims.

"They had been in a large rubber dinghy with an outboard motor, which was wholly unsuitable to make the crossing," he said.

"The four deceased were recovered from the water."

Those on board the boat included men, women and children from Senegal, Afghanistan, India and Iraq.

In the week of the tragedy, 751 people were picked up in 15 small vessels.

Earlier this month, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced new strategies to tackle the crisis, including a deal with Albanian authorities to speed up the return of asylum seekers from that country.

Albanians are understood to make up a third of those arriving to the UK by small boats.