(FILES) An aerial view shows rolled-up inflatable dinghies and outboard engines, that are believed to have been used by migrants and asylum seekers who were picked up at sea whilst crossing the English Channel from France to England, stored in a Port Authority yard in Dover, southeast England, on January 16, 2024. More than 10,000 irregular migrants have crossed the Channel to Britain on small boats this year, government data released on May 25, 2024 showed -- unwelcome news for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak as he seeks re-election. Conservative Party leader Sunak had pledged to stop the crossings but some 288 asylum seekers made the journey in five boats on May 24, taking the provisional total for 2024 so far to 10,170, according to the interior ministry figures. (Photo by Ben STANSALL / AFP)