Shock as supersized inflatable dinghy carrying record 165 migrants is intercepted in the Channel

A SUPERSIZED dinghy carrying a record 165 migrants was intercepted in the Channel this week. The inflatable, which was more than 10m long, was carrying the biggest number of people to have been crammed into a single boat. The huge dinghy with 165 migrants was picked up by a Border Force vessel on Wednesday Credit: PA Nigel Farage slammed Andy Burnham for ignoring immigration in his first speech as PM, claiming he would ‘do nothing’ to stop Channel crossings Credit: PA It was picked up by a Border Force vessel on Wednesday, with the French lifeboat service calling it “alarming, unique, and exceptional”. The RNLI said: “We are astonished by the number of people on board.” Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! Boats used in the Channel are most commonly made in China, and have no purpose other than to carry migrants across the narrow 21-mile strait. A total of 538 people have arrived in small boats during Andy Burnham’s first week as Prime Minister. So far this year 13,007 migrants have come to the UK across the Channel, a 45 per cent decrease compared to this time last year. Reform UK Leader Nigel Farage slammed the new PM for not mentioning the issue of immigration in his first speech and said: “Open borders Burnham will do nothing to stop the illegal and dangerous invasion of our country, he won’t even mention it. “Only Reform will stop the boats.” A Home Office spokesperson said: “This Government is bearing down on small boat crossings, with removals of small boat migrants at record levels and asylum claims down by 12 per cent. Most read in The Sun “The Home Secretary has signed a landmark new deal with France to boost enforcement action on beaches and put people smugglers behind bars. This builds on joint work that has stopped over 44,000 attempted crossings since the election. “We have removed or deported almost 70,000 people who were here illegally – an increase of 41 per cent – and are going further to remove the incentives that draw illegal migrants to this country.”