More than 17,000 migrants have arrived in the UK so far this year after crossing the Channel, figures show.

Some 444 people made the journey in eight boats on Wednesday, suggesting an average of around 56 people per vessel.

This takes the provisional total for 2023 to date to 17,234, according to PA news agency analysis of Home Office data.

PA understands Border Force has been preparing for what it calls “red” days, when warm weather and calm seas are favourable for crossings – conditions which are expected to continue on the south coast into the weekend.

The crossings comes just days after at least six people died and dozens of others were rescued when a boat got into difficulty off the coast of Sangatte, northern France, on Saturday.

On Monday more than 100 people made the journey, meaning more than 500 have made the crossing in just two days so far this week.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak – who has made stopping the boats one of his top five priorities ahead of next year’s likely general election – said on Tuesday that the current numbers of arrivals are “lower than they have been in previous years”, adding it is “the first time that has happened”.

While reiterating that he was “determined to fix this problem”, he also admitted there is a “long way to go”.