People smugglers launch 'full-frontal assault' across miles of French coast as 700 migrants attempt Channel crossing

People smugglers have launched a "full-frontal assault" across a wide stretch of French coast, pushing at least 700 illegal migrants out into the English Channel.

After weeks of sending migrant boats to sea from much further down the French coast, criminal gangs have changed their tactics again.

This morning, they launched a huge surge of boats from Dunkirk in the north, to Dieppe, a hundred miles south, in an effort to overwhelm French police patrols.

GB News has counted at least 10 migrant boat launches since the early hours.

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More than 300 illegal immigrants have already reached UK waters.

At least 400 others are still in French waters attempting to cross.

One maritime security source told GB News: "What we're seeing here is a full-frontal assault by the criminal gangs.

"For weeks, they've been frustrated by increased police patrols, hampering their ability to launch boats from their regular push-off points around Calais and Dunkirk.

"That's forced a switch in tactics, with most launches happening up to a hundred miles south of Dunkirk, around the Dieppe area."

Just yesterday, people smugglers tried out a new route, even further south than Dieppe.

They launched a boat from the port of Fecamp, about 40 miles further down the coast from Dieppe.

Just 26 illegal migrants were in that boat, which was being used as a "proof of concept" journey.

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The Eastbourne lifeboat and three Border Force vessels were sent to intercept the migrant dinghy and take the occupants to the migrant processing centre at Dover harbour.

The maritime security source told GB News that criminal people smugglers were constantly switching tactics to try to outsmart French police patrols.

"This morning, they've switched tactics again." He said.

"What we're seeing is the kind of surge tactics we haven't seen in the Channel for quite some time.

"It's an attempt to overwhelm and stretch the French police.

"Even with the millions of pounds of extra funding the French are getting from the UK, they still can't be everywhere at once.

"And there's no doubt this has worked today. Hundreds have already managed to cross, and the day is far from over."

If all those attempting to cross this morning make it to UK waters, it will take the number of illegal migrants who have arrived since Andy Burnham took office to more than 1,600.

The number who have crossed illegally from France so far this year is now more than 14,000.

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