More on KentOnline
More on KentOnline
Four small boats containing migrants have been seen in the channel this morning as the immigration crisis continues.
This morning Sky News reported that its reporters, also on a vessel in the sea, had witnessed several boats heading towards the Kent coast.
One video showed a boat with 13 men claiming to be from Sudan. None of whom were wearing seatbelts. Another boat load of people reportedly cheered "UK" as they came into view of the media commissioned vessel.
Another interviewee, in another Sky clip claimed passage costs 1200Euro for each person with 10 people on the boat.
It comes amid a record week where hundreds of adults and children made it to Britain from France after sailing across the channel in self piloted inflatables - trips thought to be organised by criminal gangs costing in some cases 12,000 Euros.
The Home Office has not so far provided a break down of all events from Monday to Monday, but almost 700 adults made it to British shores in a surge of landings between Thursday and Sunday prompting criticism of the Home Office.
Government pressure heightened after new daily record was set on Thursday when 235 people arrived in 17 boats.
Not all were brought ashore from English waters to the coast by Border Force. Some are brought in by Coastguards and lifeboats from sea rescue charity the RNLI based in Dover, Walmer at Deal, and Folkestone across the coast as far as Dungeness where women and children were photographed on the beach having arrived in a small boat.
On Thursday a channel swimmer, returning from swimming the 31 mile stretch helped rescue three migrants who said they hailed from North Africa.
Builder Justin Legge, 49, had just swum the 31-mile stretch in 11 hours 36 minutes and was on his way back to Dover with his escort team when they spotted the flimsy inflatable drifting midway between France and England taking on water.
The captain called the coastguard who said if they were closest, they should rescue the trio and wait until Border Force could come out.
Mr Legge, the son of the late stand up comedian Dave Lee, said: "We waited a bit but it was clear no one was coming to their rescue and they were going to sink. So our pilot took the decision to bring them on board, although he made sure they put on gloves and masks.
On Friday we reported how 130 cases arrived in 13 boats.
The buckling strain on Border Force and the sheer numbers of migrants heading to Britain prompted the Home Office to submit a request for military aid.
Home Secretary Priti Patel asked for the Royal Navy to provide a 'pushing back' service, like that used in Australia.
A Home Office Spokesperson said: “Home Office staff have been working closely with MoD colleagues over the weekend in order to assess what military expertise and capability can be provided.”
In a statement, the MoD said: "We are assessing the requirement using the formal Military Aid to the Civilian Authorities process and are working hard to identify how we can most effectively assist. As ever the MoD will do all it can to support HMG requirements."
Former Labour home secretary Jack Straw has since said and plans to 'push back' could be fatal.
Friday, the hottest day of the year so far, saw temperatures rise to over 30 degrees at Dover. The Home Office confirmed 130 people arrived in 13 small boats. PA News reported 146 people made the crossing.
Our reporter Beth Robson was on the front line at Dover Marina and filmed two of them come in. She said: "From what I saw at the Marina today Ms Patel's threats that Royal Navy assets may be deployed have had no impact on migrants' momentum.
"It seems despite threats of naval intervention, and the perilous 23-mile journeys across the world's busiest shipping lanes, the small boats will keep on coming."
Saturday brought 152 cases to our shores.
A pregnant woman, reportedly in labour, was one of a boat load of people to arrive at Oldstairs Bay at Kingsdown in a small boat.
Another woman, carrying a child was also seen.
A reader, who doesn't want to be named, reported seeing them climbing up the wall at the former MOD rifle range.
KCC leader Roger Gough has said 400 children have been taken in to the council's care this year, including 60 in just the first week of August.
This is because women with children and unaccompanied asylum seeking children are taken into the care of KCC while single males, which make up the majority of cases, are dispersed into the care of councils like Birmingham, Manchester, London or Cardiff among others.
Piloted by a former Royal Navy veteran, the first patrol on Saturday proved fruitless.
Mr Cochrane admitted: "Haven't spotted any in the Channel today (Saturday) but it is a big piece of water."
Britain First started its own beach patrols in September last year in a campaign it called Operation White Cliffs.
At the time, Ben Bano, who is a co-director of Seeking Sanctuary and is based in Deal, said the Britain First interventions were an "unhelpful and unnecessary initiative which will only inflame tensions."
On Monday he said: "These proposed actions by Britain First put lives at risk and are completely contrary to the legal framework of the law of the sea which requires anyone coming across people in danger to provide assistance rather than sending them back.
"The thought of young children who have already gone through traumatic experiences and then being taken back is unimaginable."
On Monday, when 20 Syrian males were intercepted in a small boat.
Former Royal Marine Dan O'Mahoney was appointed as clandestine channel threat commander - a new role leading the UK’s response to the crisis.
Dan O’Mahoney said: "This role is vitally important in the fight to end the heinous crime of people smuggling across the Channel.
"I look forward to working closely with the Home Secretary and Minister for Immigration Compliance as well as with law enforcement bodies in the UK and France to bring to bear every capability available to tackle this critically important issue."
The Home Office has not given a time scale for when we will see a reduction in border crossings as a result of his appointment.
Home Secretary Priti Patel, who came to Dover on Monday to witness the crisis at sea, said: "The number of illegal small boat crossings is appalling. We are working to make this route unviable and arresting the criminals facilitating these crossings and making sure they are brought to justice.
"Dan’s appointment is vital to cutting this route by bringing together all operational partners in the UK and in France. This is a complex problem but across Government we are working to address many of these long-standing issues."
After her boat trip Ms Patel visited the Border Force hub at Dover Marina.
It was the same day we reported how the people dealing with these new arrivals are under increased pressure.
Dover's Border Force officers have been forced to endure scorching temperatures as they battle to process around 200 migrants a day while the government continues to struggle to stop the crossings.
Some of them have been sweltering in "horrific" conditions in the direct sun and under 10 kilos of body armour, working longer hours than usual to meet the influx.
Lucy Moreton, professional officer for ISU, the union for borders, immigration and customs workers told our website KentOnline that staff are struggling to process the sheer scale of cases and the significant and unprecedented pressure on the force shows no signs of letting up.
Before last week's record day of cases, Dover based officers would see an average of 100 arrivals a day. Now they are seeing 200 on some days.
A Home Office spokesperson said: “Our Border Force officers do an outstanding job protecting our borders and their safety and well-being is our top priority.
“Officers are instructed to take regular breaks for refreshment, with bottled water provided, and where possible, remove themselves to a safe location where they can remove hot equipment.
“We continue to work with staff and their representatives to identify more ways to help during current weather conditions.”
Today talks between British and French ministers are due to happen to bring a resolution to the crisis.
Immigration minister Chris Philip, and the new clandestine channel threat commander Dan O’Mahoney were due to meet the minister's French counterpart in Paris on Tuesday to work out what can be done.
Mr Philp was expected to call for migrants caught trying to cross to be fingerprinted in France and face "real consequences".
Writing in the Daily Telegraph on Saturday he said: “Shutting down this route completely will mean illegal migrants no longer have any reason to flock to northern France – meaning no more camps near Calais and no criminal gangs operating with impunity on French soil. And illegal migrants need to be fingerprinted so they know that, once detected, they face real consequences if they try to cross again.”
The RNLI sea rescue charity has not commented on the pressure the crossings are putting on the charity as its lifeboats are called to assist vessels in distress.
The Home Office has not answered how many of this week's cases have been returned to France.
The department blames current regulations - which determine where an asylum-seeker's claim is heard - for the comparatively low number of people to have been returned to Europe.
