Migrants Stopped -- But How Many Still Made It to Britain?

The UK Home Office says French police units prevented 185 small-boat crossing events between 27 April and 2 August, stopping more than 4,300 crossing attempts and claiming a 61% prevention rate. The analysis in the article argues that this headline figure can mislead because it counts boats, not people. A boat can carry varying numbers of migrants, and both prevention and arrival figures are provisional. Home Office data show small-boat arrivals continued under the new agreement, including during August. In the week ending 16 August, 405 migrants arrived in three boats, while French authorities prevented 270 migrants in 16 events. The piece notes arrivals in 2026 have been below prior-year highs, but the overall reduction may not be sustainable.