Border Force was again scrambled to Kent this morning after a group of migrants landed on the coast – just hours after a record-breaking 202 crossed the Channel yesterday.
Officers wearing face coverings were seen talking to the group of around ten people in Dungeness earlier today.
The number of people to have made it to the UK on small boats and other craft this year is already almost double that seen in 2019.
And there are concerns even more could be arriving illegally after a source told MailOnline that it was ‘perfect weather’ to make the crossing today, one of the hottest days of the year so far.
In two separate incidents today a boat of 30 migrants and vessel of 11 migrants were returned to Calais by French authorities, while the Home Office has not yet confirmed the official number that landed in the UK.
Of those spotted this morning, a young man gave a thumbs up for the camera in Dungeness, in apparent glee having navigated the world’s busiest shipping lane from Calais to make it to Britain.
Meanwhile, a toddler was seen running around wearing a Mickey Mouse top and hat and was joined by a boy of around 12 years old.
Two women – one pictured with her head in her hands – were at the scene while another was reportedly holding a Chanel bag. The migrants have all been detained by Border Force officials.
Of those spotted in Dungeness, Kent, this morning, a young man gave a thumbs up for the camera, in apparent glee having navigated the world’s busiest shipping lane from Calais to make it to Britain
Meanwhile, a toddler was seen running around wearing a Mickey Mouse top and hat and was joined by a boy of around 12 years old
Border Force officers wearing masks were seen speaking to the group on the coast of Dungeness, Kent, earlier this morning
A group of migrants wearing face masks, including a young child, made it to shore at Dungeness, Kent, this morning looking tired
There are concerns even more could be arriving illegally after a source told MailOnline that it was ‘perfect weather’ to make the crossing today, one of the hottest days of the year so far
The number of people to have made it to the UK on small boats and other craft this year is already almost double that seen in 2019
The group, who wore face coverings, were spotted sat on the grass by the side of a road in Dungeness, Kent, this morning
Police and Border Force officials were seen putting possessions into evidence bags but there was no sign of a boat, according to an eyewitness
A toddler wearing a bright yellow top was part of the group who made it to shore at Dungeness, Kent, this morning
It comes just a day after a record-breaking 202 migrants made the treacherous crossing on Thursday.
Border Force dealt with 20 separate incidents as dinghies, kayaks, zodiaks and even a children’s dinghy were used to make the treacherous crossings of the 21 mile wide Straits of Dover.
A total of 3,421 migrants have now made it to the UK on small boats and other craft already this year – compared to 1,850 in 2019.
A source told MailOnline that it as ‘perfect weather’ to make the crossing on what is expected to be the hottest day of July today.
One local resident who lives on the sea front said: ‘They looked very well dressed. I thought the woman with the designer handbag was local at first until officers held blankets around her so she could go to the toilet.’
Around seven men were also seen lying on the pebbles with one young man lying under an umbrella with his eyes closed to shelter from the heat.
One man was wearing a Stone Island T-shirt while another donned a Nike cap.
Police and Border Force officials were seen putting possessions into evidence bags but there was no sign of a boat, according to an eyewitness.
They added: ‘Some of them were looking really happy to have made the crossing. One young man wearing a face mask was making a heart hand gesture and put his thumbs up before forming a gun sign with his fingers to celebrate.’
In a separate incident a boat of 30 migrants containing six children and two adults with physical disabilities called for help near Hardelot just before 5am today.
They were picked up by deep sea tugboat RIAS Abeille Languedoc and returned to the border police at the port of Calais at 9.30am.
French authorities also rescued a further 11 migrants spotted in difficulty on a boat off Wissant and returned them to Boulogne-sur-Mer shortly before 9am.
So far in July, 979 have made the perilous 21-mile trip across the busy Dover Strait shipping lane – a record for a single month.
The previous record was broken on July 13 when 180 made it to the UK coast.
Hundreds of migrants have been arriving in the UK in small boats every month, even with Britain being under coronavirus lockdown.
It comes just hours after more than 200 illegal immigrants crossed the Channel to arrive on the British coast yesterday – a record for a single day
The group of 30 migrants were picked up by deep sea tugboat RIAS Abeille Languedoc and returned to the border police at the port of Calais at 9.30am
Pictures from earlier in July show boats in a secure compound in Dover which have been seized after being intercepted in the Channel while carrying migrants from the French coast
Home Secretary Priti Patel was in Calais on the same day 200 migrants tried to travel into Britain, to discuss a clampdown on illegal crossings with her French counterpart.
She said: ‘Despite all of the action taken by law enforcement to date – intercepting the boats, making arrests, returning people to France and putting the criminals responsible behind bars – the numbers continue to increase.
‘This simply cannot be allowed to go on.’
In May, the Mail revealed how French navy vessels are escorting some migrant-filled boats to British waters before handing them over to UK Border Force vessels without even intercepting them.
Some migrants are believed to threaten to throw themselves into the water, causing the French boats to stand off.