Migrantkris i engelska kanalen - politiska påföljder?

In the first three months of this year, 675 Indian migrants were detected crossing the English Channel in small boats, second only to 909 Afghans, who agencies say are primarily asylum seekers fleeing the Taliban.

That is almost the same as the total 683 Indians who crossed the Channel during the whole of last year, and 10 times the rate at the beginning of 2022.

It is believed Serbia’s visa-free travel rules for Indians have provided a gateway into Europe. Until the end of last year, all Indian passport holders were able to enter Serbia without a visa for up to 30 days. The cost of a small boat journey has also fallen to an average of £3,500 – although some have been touted more cheaply.

1,000 migrants cross the Channel in a single day
It is the highest daily total in four months and brings the number of small boat arrivals to more than 30,000 this year