Home Office confirms another 30 migrants arrived in Dover yesterday


Home Office confirms another 30 migrants arrived in Dover yesterday after crossing in 30mph winds as total making journey this year hits 1,392

  • Border Force agents detained 30 migrants crossing the Channel on Thursday 
  • It takes the total number of arrivals in the UK for the year so far to 1,392 
  • French authorities also prevented 113 people from attempting 21-mile journey

The Home Office confirmed 30 migrants were detained on Thursday after making the dangerous Channel crossing through 30mph winds on one boat.

The group, which arrived at Dover Marina, Kent, shortly after 12pm yesterday, included young children as well as a disabled man who required a wheelchair.

It takes the total number of arrivals in the UK for the year so far to 1,392.

French authorities also prevented 113 people from attempting the treacherous 21-mile journey in six boats overnight and into Thursday morning, according to the Home Office. 

The Home Office confirmed 30 migrants were detained on Thursday after making the dangerous Channel crossing through 30mph winds

The Home Office confirmed 30 migrants were detained on Thursday after making the dangerous Channel crossing through 30mph winds

Border Force vessel Vigilant was seen unloading migrants including young children shortly after 12pm at Dover Marina, Kent, yesterday

Border Force vessel Vigilant was seen unloading migrants including young children shortly after 12pm at Dover Marina, Kent, yesterday

One migrant detained yesterday was a disabled man who needed a wheelchair to make his way up the gangway for processing

One migrant detained yesterday was a disabled man who needed a wheelchair to make his way up the gangway for processing

It was a busy day for the Maritime Prefecture of the Channel and the North Sea after several migrant boats got into difficulty due to the turbulent weather conditions. 

The Jean Bart II rescued 26 people – including two women, four children and many suffering from hypothermia – from the Dunkirk West dune canal and returned them to the nearby port shortly after 9am for quayside medical attention.

The Côte des Dunes ferry spotted another four migrants on a boat who were rescued by coastal maritime surveillance boat Escaut and returned to Calais around 11am.

The Jean Bart II was back out to rescue 23 migrants – including a pregnant woman and another woman – and return them to Calais just before noon.

A Calais Seaways ferry raised the alarm after spotting 32 migrants – including two women and two children – in difficulty. They were all returned to Calais by the Notre Dame du Risban at 12.41pm.

Fishing vessel FV Surcouf also called for help after finding 18 migrants including a woman and child in the Pas-de-Calais Strait. 

Yesterday's group, which included young children, took the total number of arrivals in the UK for the year so far to 1,392

Yesterday’s group, which included young children, took the total number of arrivals in the UK for the year so far to 1,392

No crossings had been expected yesterday after battering winds of up to 30mph replaced the mini-heatwave of the previous few days

No crossings had been expected yesterday after battering winds of up to 30mph replaced the mini-heatwave of the previous few days

Many were hypothermic and needed medical help when returned to Boulogne-sur-Mer port by the President Jacques Huret rescue boat shortly after 1.30pm.

French Navy rescue tug Abeille Languedoc also intercepted three migrants in the same stretch of water and rescued a further 41 – including two women and three children – on its way back to Boulogne around 3pm.

Weather had become so bad in the Channel that merchant vessel Orient Angel, which had picked up 12 migrants and their boat, was advised to wait until a favourable window to return them to land safely.

Minister for Immigration Compliance and Justice Chris Philp said: ‘People should claim asylum in the first safe country they reach and not make these dangerous journeys.

‘Close work with law enforcement colleagues in France is stopping migrants from leaving French beaches, but there is more work to be done.

‘Our New Plan for Immigration will break the business model of people smugglers, and overhaul our broken asylum system.’

Advertisement

Leave a Reply