(Sky News) A record 45,728 people crossed the English Channel to the UK on small boats in 2022, up more than 60% on the previous year as migrants continue to risk their lives making the dangerous journey.
The perils of the deep waters separating France and Britain were once again brought painfully into the spotlight over the last 12 months, when four people lost their lives after their boat capsized in freezing waters in December.
It was a year where the government continued to promise tough measures to stop the flow of boats and crack down on people smugglers, including pursuing its controversial Rwanda deportation scheme.
But data on the numbers of arrivals — compiled and analysed by Sky News — shows a different picture.
