Alarm grows at toll of migrants risking lives in waves to reach UK
THREE groups of migrants were detained yesterday after crossing the English Channel in small boats to land on the Kent coast.
Six migrants made it as far as the village of Kingsdown, six miles north of Dover.
A dog walker who spotted the group at 7am said: “They looked beyond frozen. All of them were shivering and an ambulance was called right away.
“Despite the cold, at least three of them darted off before the ambulance arrived.”
The remaining migrants were given blankets and taken away to warm up.
Then at 8.15am, Border Force officers were deployed after reports of an unattended inflatable dinghy near Folkestone.
Although there were discarded life jackets, no people were found in the vicinity.
However, two men who identified themselves as Iranian migrants were detained at Folkestone police station.
Officials intercepted another dinghy heading towards the Kent coast at 9.35am after being tipped off by a fisherman.
Tragedy
The eight people aboard, who claimed to be Iranians, were towed to Dover by a Border Force vessel.
The three incidents heighten concerns about an increase in the number of refugees attempting to cross the English Channel from France in small boats.
Home Secretary Sajid Javid cut short his Christmas break last month to deal with what he described as a “major incident” unfolding in waters off the South Coast.
Mr Javid promised to do more to tackle the issue, saying it is of “grave concern” that people are attempting the perilous crossing.
Charlie Elphicke, Conservative MP for Dover, said: “The best way to stop these crossings is for migrants and traffickers to know they won’t succeed in entering the UK.
“That’s why there needs to be round-the-clock aerial surveillance to ensure the French authorities are alerted to any small craft leaving the French coast so they can be helped safely back to France.”
The dangers of trying to cross the sea in small, overcrowded boats were highlighted on Friday when an estimated 170 refugees drowned when two dinghies sank in the Mediterranean.
Mr Elphicke added: “We saw a terrible tragedy in the Mediterranean. Only by taking a strong stance can we ensure tragedy is avoided in the English Channel.”
Border Force was assisted by HM Coastguard which said it is “committed to safeguarding life around the seas and coastal areas of this country”.
A spokeswoman added: “We are only concerned with preservation of life, rescuing those in trouble and bringing them safely back to shore, where they will be handed over to the relevant partner emergency services or authorities.” Migrants are picked up by Border Force officials at the port of Dover having crossed the English Channel from France yesterday. Life jackets were found in an abandoned dingy near Folkestone, below