And yet they arrive… Group of 20 migrants are brought into Dover today after a small boat carrying men, women and children is intercepted in the English Channel amid choppy seas
- The asylum seekers made the dangerous journey across the Channel today
- Despite choppy seas, they arrived in small boats before meeting officials
- A young child was carried by a border officer in Dover, Kent
A group of 20 migrants – including young children – were intercepted trying to cross the border english channel in a small boat today, despite choppy summer sea conditions.
Small children wearing orange life jackets were among more than a dozen asylum seekers escorted from the small boats this morning as they arrived in Dover, Kent.
A group of men were taken off a dinghy and transferred at sea to the Border Force vessel Typhoon before being brought into port and handed over to immigration officials.
Wearing Covid face masks, the asylum seekers made their way up the gangplank after the perilous journey across the English Channel.
A young child with curly brown hair was carried by a border officer after arriving on the Kent coast.
Another young girl, dressed in a pink coat, was helped to the ground by what appeared to be older relatives in the group.
Weather conditions at sea were decreasing today, after windy conditions apparently did not prevent crossings on Thursday.
Today’s arrivals are the first since Wednesday, when 248 people in five boats were picked up in the 21-mile-wide Dover Strait.
A young child held the hand of what is believed to be a relative as they were escorted from the small boats this morning
Families of asylum seekers, including a young child, wear orange life jackets before being escorted into the country by border officials Friday morning
A group of migrants – including a young child in a pink coat – arrived on the Kent coast this morning after making the journey across the English Channel
The tumultuous climate in British politics also didn’t seem to stop migrants from coming to the UK – a day after Boris Johnson resigned and sparked new Tory leadership elections.
Home Secretary Priti Patel was one of the few ministers not to sensationally resign from office earlier this week as waves of MPs said they could no longer work under Mr Johnson’s leadership.
On Wednesday, a further 166 migrants had to be rescued by French authorities after their dinghies ran into difficulties off the coast in a number of incidents between Calais, Boulogne and Le Touquet.
They were returned to French ports and handed over to the Border Police.
The official total held by the border forces so far this year after making the treacherous crossing in small boats has now reached 13,103 in nearly 400 boats.
Today’s numbers have yet to be confirmed.
According to government figures, 28,526 people made the trip in 2021 – compared to 8,410 who arrived in 2020.
A government spokesman said: ‘The increase in dangerous Channel crossings is unacceptable.
“Not only are they an open violation of our immigration laws, but they also risk lives and hinder our ability to help refugees who come to the UK via safe and legal routes.
“The Nationality and Borders Act allows us to crack down on the abuse of the system and the malicious smugglers, who are now sentenced to a maximum penalty of life in prison.
“As part of our new Migration and Economic Development Partnership with Rwanda, we are continuing preparations to relocate those making dangerous, unnecessary and illegal journeys to the UK so that their claims can be considered and their lives restored. built up.’
Asylum seekers lined the gangplank, taking off their orange life jackets after Friday morning’s tumultuous journey. The waters were choppy on Thursday but seem to have calmed down today
A young child is carried by an officer after landing in Dover, Kent