The proportion of migrant boats being blocked from crossing the Channel has fallen despite many now being much bigger and easier to spot, it emerged today.Amid a rise in 'mega-dinghies' being launched, which experts say should be easier to intercept, the French authorities stopped just over half (56 per cent) of attempted boat crossings in the year to August 2.This was down slightly from a rate of 57 per cent for the 12 months before, according to analysis by the Mail.It comes despite Labour handing over hundreds of millions of pounds more to the French authorities to block crossings.The deal – signed by Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood in April – included an unconditional £500million to pay for beach patrols in France, plus £160million in performance-related funding.But the analysis found that, of 1,057 attempted Channel crossings in the 12 months to August 2, a total of just 598 boats (56 per cent) carrying 14,462 migrants were stopped.Of 1,849 boats launched from the French and Belgian coast the year before, 1,057 (57 per cent) carrying 30,012 migrants were halted by the French authorities. Meanwhile, the average number of migrants crammed onto each vessel has more than doubled over five years to a record high, from 27 per vessel in 2021 to nearly 70 so far this year as the boats being deployed grow bigger. A 'mega-dinghy' carrying a record 230 migrants was brought to Dover on Monday, pushing the total since Labour came to power in 2024 past 80,000 The 'mega-dinghy' carrying 230 migrants was 7ft larger than vessels which set previous records last month, and more than 10ft longer than a standard double-decker bus Migrants have been storming French beaches in a bid to board a series of 'mega-dinghies' which have attempted to cross the Channel in recent weeks