Almost 700 migrants have crossed the English Channel into the UK in a single day, a record for the year so far, the Ministry of Defense (MoD) said.
Some 696 made the journey on 14 boats on Monday, with large groups of migrants – including small children – seen disembarking at Ramsgate.
The latest figure means more than 17,000 people will have arrived in the UK by 2022 after sailing the busy sea lanes from France in small vessels such as dinghies.
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It comes a day after the government confirmed the number of migrants crossing the Channel in July was the highest of the year so far, with 3,683 making the journey on 90 boats.
And it also comes a month after new laws increase the maximum sentence for those who enter the UK illegally to four years in prison, and life imprisonment for those who pilot the boats.
The government announced its plan to send migrants arriving illegally in the UK to Rwanda just three months ago, saying it would deter people from crossing the Channel.
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But the first flight into the country was canceled after a last-minute order from the European Court of Human Rights.
Home Secretary Priti Patel has stood by the plan, and the two Tory leadership candidates Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss have pledged to continue the policy.
But opposition parties and charities, reportedly even Prince Charles, have claimed the policy is inhumane.
And last month, court documents revealed Ms Patel was warned not to go along with the scheme, with the UK High Commissioner to Rwanda saying the country “has been accused of recruiting refugees to carry out armed operations in neighboring countries”.
Reports suggest Ms Patel is preparing to announce another multi-million pound deal with France in a bid to reduce the number of migrants crossing the Channel.
According to the Times, the money will go towards more beach patrols and surveillance teams, adding to the millions already paid to the country.