Two boats carrying 40 migrants from Pakistan, Iraq and Afghanistan are intercepted off the coast of Kent
- Border Force officers intercepted 40 migrants on small vessels on Kent coast
- Men, women and children identified themselves as Pakistani, Iraqi and Afghan
- The news comes just two days after 38 tried to make the perilous crossing
- 152 migrants have now been caught by Border Force since the start of June
Border Force intercepted two boats carrying 40 migrants from Pakistan, Iraq and Afghanistan off the coast of Kent – making it 152 since the start of June.
The Home Office confirmed men, women and children were brought ashore near St Margaret’s Bay, Kent, and medically assessed this morning.
Charlie Elphicke, the Tory MP for Dover, urged action to ‘prevent a summer of chaos in the English Channel.’
The news comes after 38 were intercepted at Dungeness, Kent, on Wednesday, and another 74 were captured off East Sussex on June 1.
The Home Office confirmed men, women and children were intercepted on vessels off the coast of St Margaret’s Bay, Kent this morning (stock image)
A Home Office spokeswoman said: ‘Anyone crossing the Channel in a small boat is taking a huge risk with their life and the lives of their children.
‘It is an established principle that those in need of protection should claim asylum in the first safe country they reach and since January more than 35 people who arrived illegally in the UK in small boats have been returned to Europe.’
Mr Elphicke said ‘more migrants have arrived so far this year than arrived in the whole of last year’ and described the situation as a ‘crisis’.
‘The Home Office needs to regain control of our borders and seek a proper agreement with the French to stop these people leaving the French coast,’ he said.
‘This is not just about border security. We’ve got to stop vulnerable people being exploited by criminal trafficking gangs.
‘And protect life – these are overcrowded boats with men, women & children aboard.
A woman as the part of the group intercepted at Dungeness on Wednesday – the group, who identified themselves as Iranian or Iraqi, included men, women and children
A rubber dinghy which landed as part of a group of 38 at Dungeness on Wednesday
‘There is a real risk of a tragedy in the middle of the English Channel resulting in loss of life.’
One dinghy carrying nine was intercepted as it came ashore early on Wednesday morning at Dungeness, Kent, another 29 were apprehended on two other vessels by a patrol boat.
The 38 people were made up of men, women and children, all claiming to be either Iranian or Iraqi.
Earlier this month 74 including several children were detained as eight boats tried to cross the Channel, with one landing at Winchelsea Caravan Park beach, East Sussex.
Eight vessels made it to shore, landing at Winchelsea Caravan Park beach, East Sussex on June 1, with a total of 74 migrants being captured
Home Secretary Sajid Javid described the incident as ‘concerning.’
Britain saw a surge in the number of migrants coming into the country last November.
And in December, after 138 made it on to UK shores, the Home Secretary declared a ‘major incident’ and hauled in extra Border Force cutters.
But last month saw that figure beaten, with 140 getting into the country.
The Home Office has agreed a joint action plan with France and increased activity out of the Joint Coordination and Information Centre in Calais.