11 migrants are caught trying to cross English Channel this morning
Eleven more migrants are caught trying to cross English Channel this morning… as MPs meet for crisis inquiry to discuss how to tackle growing problem
- Kent Chief Constable Alan Pughsley told MPs boat being taken in ‘as we speak’
- Yesterday 15 men wearing life jackets were brought ashore at Dover Marina
- The men were found in two boats attempting to cross the English Channel
- 500 people crossed in the past year – 80 per cent of those in past two months
A boat packed with migrants arrived in Britain just as the UK’s most senior police and border officials were called to Parliament to explain how they are tackling the crisis, it was revealed today.
Kent Chief Constable Alan Pughsley told MPs on the Commons Home Affairs Committee – who have called an inquiry into the spike in incidents – admitted there was an ongoing incident off Dover this morning.
He said that the UK Border Force was bringing in a boat carrying around 11 migrants ‘as we speak’ and the hearing was told migrants heading to the UK are now ‘wanting to be found and helped’ in a shift away from ‘clandestine’ trips of the past.
Mr Pughsley was appearing in front of MPs with National Crime Agency director Steve Rodhouse and Julie-Anne Wood, head of operations at the Maritime and Coastguard Agency.
Mr Rodhouse, a former Met Deputy Assistant Commissioner, said 500 had made the trip in the past year – 80 per cent of those journeys were in the past two months.
He said the majority of people coming are from Iran and most have paid around £5,000 each to a ‘facilitator’ who gets them to France and puts them on a small boat.
More than 100 people have made the 21-mile journey across the Channel in 2019 – down from 250 in December.
Iranians are bought ashore at Dover Marina yesterday as the Channel migrant crisis continues
Kent Chief Constable Alan Pughsley (right) said a boat was being taken into Dover ‘as we speak’ while appearing in front of MPs with National Crime Agency director Steve Rodhouse (left) and Julie-Anne Wood (centre), head of operations at the Maritime and Coastguard Agency
Just yesterday 15 Iranian migrants were caught just hours after a family of seven were picked up.
At 9am and 12pm two boats were spotted off the Kent coast.
Border Force officials transferred the group to immigration officials for interview, and arrested four on suspicion of facilitating illegal entry to the UK, the Home Office confirmed.
While five were transferred to immigration officials for interview, the sixth man was arrested on suspicion of facilitating illegal entry to the UK.
The group of 15 men, were seen wearing life jackets and covered in blankets as they were brought ashore at Dover Marina from a Border Force cutter this afternoon.
Entire family including FIVE children are detained by border…
Empty boat and lifejackets are spotted floating off the…
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A Border Force spokesman said: ‘Border Force have dealt with two incidents involving small boats in the Channel today.
‘At approximately 9am, Border Force was alerted to a small vessel in the Channel.
‘HMC Vigilant and coastal patrol vessel (CPV) Speedwell were sent to the scene and nine males were brought to Dover.
‘Six males were transferred to immigration officials for interview. The remaining three males have been arrested on suspicion of facilitating illegal entry to the UK.
‘The investigation is being dealt with by Immigration Enforcement Criminal and Financial Investigation officers.
‘At approximately 1200, Border Force was alerted to a sighting of a second small vessel off the Kent coast.
‘It was located and the six males on board were transferred to coastal patrol vessel (CPV) Alert and brought to Dover.
Men are bought ashore at Dover Marina, following a small boat incident in the English Channel. A group of men wearing life jackets and covered in blankets were seen being brought ashore at Dover Marina from a Border Force cutter
Border Force officials transferred 11 men to immigration officials for interview, and arrested four on suspicion of facilitating illegal entry to the UK, the Home Office confirmed
‘Five males were transferred to immigration officials for interview.
‘The sixth man has been arrested on suspicion of facilitating illegal entry to the UK.
‘The investigation is being dealt with by Immigration Enforcement Criminal and Financial Investigation officers.
‘All 15 presented themselves as Iranian and were found to be medically well.’
On Sunday a family of seven was found near Kingsdown after an empty dinghy was spotted in the Channel.
The mother, father and five children were handed over to immigration officials.
At the time a Home Office spokesman said: ‘Since the Home Secretary declared a major incident in December we have tripled the number of cutters operating in the Channel, agreed a joint action plan with France and increased activity out of the Joint Coordination and Information Centre in Calais.’
The number of people attempting to cross the Channel dropped from roughly 250 in December to 90 in January, with about half of the January attempts being intercepted in France before reaching British waters, the spokesman added.
A week ago a group of 34 men, women and children were detained after cutters and a coastal patrol boat intercepted a dinghy.
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