Chaos as UK boat rescues migrants in French waters

CHAOS ramped up in the Channel last night after a British rescue boat was seen entering French waters in an apparent bid to save migrants.

A Royal National Lifeboat Institution vessel was spotted on radar on the ‘wrong’ side of the border at 8am yesterday.

It is believed it was trying to rescue migrants attempting to make the perilous journey towards the UK.

According to maritime law, boats are only allowed to cross into other territories for searchand-rescue operations.

A French law enforcement boat, the Fourmentin, was seen entering British waters at 9.04am. It is not clear if the two boats were working together.

A record 25,000 migrants are expected to have crossed the Channel in small boats this year by tomorrow. As of Thursday, 24,231 people had made the crossing this year.

Women and children were among 40 people brought ashore yesterday by another RNLI lifeboat at Dungeness in Kent.