Small child with no shoes is among 66 migrants to arrive at Dover in two boats today as extreme sea conditions ease
- Border Force intercepted at least two boats carrying 66 people today
- Immigration officers brought them into Dover Marina, Kent, for processing
- A young boy who seemed to be around eight years old was seen walking off boat
A small child with no shoes was among 66 migrants to be intercepted by Border Force while crossing the Channel in two boats today as extreme sea conditions eased.
Immigration officers brought them into Dover Marina, Kent, for processing throughout the morning.
The mercury hit a balmy 50F (10C) this morning as the migrants attempted their crossing while wind speeds were down to just 9mph.
One large green rigid hulled inflatable boat (RHIB) was moored in the harbour filled with red lifejackets and foil blankets.
A small child with no shoes was among about 40 migrants to be intercepted by Border Force while crossing the Channel in two boats today as extreme sea conditions eased
The mercury hit a balmy 50F (10C) this morning as the migrants attempted their crossing while wind speeds were down to just 9mph
A young boy who appeared to be around eight years old was seen walking up the gangway alongside a woman wearing a brown coat.
They were followed by an officer carrying a small child wrapped up warm in a padded star patterned coat.
It was the second successful crossing of the day following a group of around 10 migrants who were brought to shore on the back of a Border Force vessel shortly before 7am.
Their grey RHIB was towed in behind them.
A man on board one of four small boats intercepted had to be stretchered onto UK shores as he was suffering from exhaustion.
He was carefully lifted onto the mooring of Dover Marina from the back of a Border Force vessel.
The male migrant did not appear to be moving and had an oxygen tank between his legs.
Medics were among staff who helped carry him up the gangway at around 10am.
But he was checked over and later declared medically fit, according to a Home Office spokesman.
Social media footage also showed a man being stretchered off a Border Force boat today
It is unclear whether the injured man is a migrant or not
The latest crossings today come after a short spell of extreme sea conditions making the already treacherous crossing even more life-threatening.
The French Maritime Prefecture of the Channel and the North Sea warned of strong tidal swells from Sunday to Tuesday all along the French coast.
They are the first to arrive since 87 migrants made the dangerous 21-mile journey on Saturday in four separate incidents.
He did not appear to be moving and had an oxygen tank between his legs as he was brought into the harbour
The Home Office has not yet confirmed whether the man is a migrant or how he came to be in his condition
The Home Office said they were all tested for Covid-19 and one person came back positive.
It is yet to confirm how many migrants have arrived today.
A total of 531 have made the dangerous journey so far this year. In February, 308 migrants were intercepted in 18 incidents surpassing January’s figures of 223 in 15 incidents.
It compares to just 87 migrants in at least six boats in January 2020 while in February 2020 there were 192 in 12 boats.
In 2020 a record 8,410 arrived last year – dwarfing 2019’s total of 1,850.