The average number of migrants crammed onto small boats has more than doubled over five years to a record high under Labour, it emerged today.

Analysis found 66 migrants on average were packed onto each of the 219 vessels which have successfully crossed the Channel so far this year. They were carrying 14,561 migrants in total.

This was up from an average 28 per boat for the whole of 2021, when 1,064 vessels carrying 28,526 migrants made it to the Kent coast.

It was also an increase from the average 62 arrivals per boat last year and 53 in 2024.

The findings come amid a surge in the use of so-called ‘mega-dinghies’ capable of carrying more than 100 people as people smugglers shift their tactics.

Experts said it was likely because smugglers are starting to launch more boats away from Calais and Dunkirk, where distances between the French and UK coastlines are much greater. This means larger and more powerful boats capable of travelling further are needed.

But Reform UK said it showed crossings were more dangerous than ever and that the findings were even more reason to implement its Operation Fortress blueprint.

Under the proposal, which party leader Nigel Farage unveiled on Monday, the Royal Navy would be deployed to the Channel to rescue and return small boats attempting the crossing to France or Belgium.

The party’s home affairs spokesman Zia Yusuf told the Mail: ‘The number of illegal migrants cramming onto a single boat in the Channel and breaking into Britain is sky-rocketing.

‘Reform will stop the invasion of Britain. As Prime Minister, Nigel Farage will order His Majesty’s Royal Navy into the Channel to see that not a single unauthorised vessel makes it to Britain.

‘When the world sees us finally defend our border, the boats will stop, just as they did in Australia.’

The Tories’ shadow home secretary, Chris Philp, added: ‘Illegal immigrants are adapting and finding new ways of exploiting our weak border.

‘The rise in the use of “mega-dinghies” is yet another issue Labour have no answer for.

‘Nearly 80,000 illegal immigrants have crossed the Channel under Labour.

‘Burnham has only been in post a couple of weeks but it’s clear he has lost control of the borders already.

‘It doesn’t matter who is in charge of the Labour Party, illegal immigration continues to define Labour because they refuse to take the action needed to stop it.

‘Only the Conservative Party has a plan to end illegal Channel crossings by leaving the European Convention on Human Rights and deporting all illegal immigrants within a week of arrival.’

Former head of UK Border Force, Tony Smith, said: ‘These mega-dinghies are clearly built to carry many more migrants than the original business model.

‘That suggests the crime gangs in Europe have moved towards manufacturing larger boats because the French authorities have at least done something in Calais and Dunkirk.

‘It’s much harder now to launch from some of those beaches that we’ve seen in the past.

‘They’re now moving further down the French coast, and the crime gangs have said we don’t need loads of small dinghies anymore because that’s going to be quite difficult to get people across.

‘They’ve probably needed to start manufacturing larger vessels capable of travelling longer distances and carrying more migrants.’

On Tuesday, a large vessel caught fire in the Channel and more than 170 migrants on board were forced to return to France, highlighting the dangers of cramming large numbers onto ‘mega-dinghies’.

And last month, two boats carrying 128 and 165 migrants respectively made it across the Channel, both smashing the previous record for the most-packed vessels to successfully make it to Britain.

At least 14 UK-bound migrants have died in the Channel this year, either by drowning or through suffocation aboard overcrowded small boats.

After previous Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer won the 2024 election, he ditched the Tories’ Rwanda deportation plan and instead focused on ‘smashing the gangs’.

In April, as part of the strategy, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood signed a £662million deal over three years with France to crack down on crossings.

But while crossings are down 40 per cent compared to last year, Labour has failed to stop the boats completely.

And more enforcement in concentrated areas appears to have caused smugglers to try and launch boats from further away on the French coastline from Calais and Dunkirk.

New premier Andy Burnham faced criticism after gaining the keys to Downing Street last month and failing to mention the issue in his maiden speech.

It took him two weeks to visit Dover after he prioritised announcements on capping bus fares, slashing VAT on energy bills and unveiling his No 10 North, which critics have branded a ‘gimmick’.

A Home Office spokesman said: ‘This government is bearing down on dangerous small boat crossings and restoring control at our border. 

‘We are making progress, with numbers down this year, and the lowest number of crossings for the month of July since 2020.

‘But we must go further, which is why we have signed a payment-by-results deal with the French to put 40% more boots on the ground on French beaches.’