Channel migrants led ashore at Dover overnight on hottest day so far
‘Pregnant woman’, small children and man in handcuffs are among 50 Channel migrants led ashore at Dover today – while 12 more land on beach at Dungeness as people smugglers make the most of mini-heatwave
- Border Force intercepted 50 migrants attempting to cross Channel this morning
- Follows as many as 120 people arriving at the Port of Dover yesterday
- Balmy 24C temperatures appeared to encourage attempts to make it to the UK
- Home Secretary Priti Patel is preparing a crackdown on asylum seekers and tougher sentences for people smugglers
Dozens of migrants including children and a pregnant woman have made the dangerous English Channel crossing today – following the hottest day of the year so far.
People smugglers took advantage of good weather conditions to send up to 60 people across the world’s busiest shipping lane overnight.
Early this morning a Border Force vessel pulled into Dover Harbour with one group of life jacket-clad migrants they had intercepted on an inflatable boat shortly after 5am.
Hours later another group of around 12 people landed on a pebble beach at nearby Dungeness after evading search boats.
Around 120 people were picked up by Border Force yesterday as temperatures hit 24.5C in the south of England – the hottest March date in 53 years.
Over 1,100 migrants have made the 21-mile journey so far this year, following on from a record 8,400 in 2020.
Around 50 people were intercepted by Border Force boats and brought into port at Dover.
Onlookers spotted a family walking together, including a pregnant woman who appeared to be in pain and needed help getting up a ramp.
People smugglers took advantage of good weather conditions to send up to 50 people on the dangerous English Channel crossing overnight
Onlookers spotted a family walking together, including a pregnant woman who appeared to be in pain and needed help getting up a ramp
One migrant was spotted being walked away in handcuffs by two Border Force agents
A smaller boat containing around 12 migrants managed to make it across the Channel and land at Dungeness 30 miles away
One Border agent was seen walking up the jetty with a small child before picking them up and carrying them along a ramp to dry land.
An older migrant was seen being escorted away in handcuffs.
A smaller boat containing around 12 migrants managed to make it across the Channel and land at Dungeness 30 miles away.
Five officers stood next to two Kent Police vans as the group were detained before Border Force took over.
A spokesman for the force said: ‘We were called at just after 8am to a report of suspected migrants at Dungeness.’
Their arrival comes after the mercury soared above 20C across the country for the first time this year. Waves were expected to be strongest yesterday but this didn’t stop people smugglers jumping at the opportunity to facilitate crossings.
The Home Office is still yet to confirm how many people made the dangerous 21-mile journey yesterday – but onlookers estimate the number of arrivals could come close to the daily record for the year of 183 in six boats on March 23.
It is feared similarly good weather today will encourage more people to attempt the crossing before conditions worsen towards the weekend.
One Border agent was seen walking up the jetty with a small child before picking them up and carrying them along a ramp to dry land
Their arrival comes after the mercury soared above 20C across the country for the first time this year. Waves were expected to be strongest yesterday but this didn’t stop people smugglers jumping at the opportunity to facilitate crossings
The group of migrants at Dungeness were soon found by Kent Police who detained them before Border Force agents took over
It also comes ahead of an immigration crackdown announced by Home Secretary Priti Patel to target criminal organised gangs running crossings and also change rules for asylum seekers.
Speaking to the Commons, Ms Patel said she was introducing a ‘comprehensive, fair but firm’ plan which would address those entering the UK ‘illegally’.
For the first time, people who arrive in the UK illegally will no longer have the same entitlements as those who arrive legally under the Home Office plan.
There is also a push to introduce maximum life sentences for people smugglers.
Minister for Immigration Compliance and Justice Chris Philp said at the time: ‘We announced the most significant overhaul of our asylum system in decades – a new fair but firm long-term plan to fix the UK’s broken asylum system.
It also comes ahead of an immigration crackdown announced by Home Secretary Priti Patel to target criminal organised gangs running crossings and also change rules for asylum seekers
‘Under these plans, we will break the business model of these cruel criminal gangs and protect the lives of those they endanger.’
In 2020, four times as many migrants made the dangerous crossing than in 2019, official figures revealed.
Almost 8,400 made the dangerous crossing, up from 1,844 the previous year.
The latest official Home Office figures mean 1,133 migrants have made the 21-mile journey so far this year.
