More on KentOnline
More on KentOnline
A migrant was found unresponsive on-board a stricken vessel in the first of two boats detected in the Channel today.
Border Force officials were alerted to a small boat carrying 11 males, believed to be Iranian, at 5.50am.
Upon interception, they discovered one of the males was unresponsive however he has since been assessed and deemed fine by paramedics.
All have been referred to the local asylum intake unit.
A second, separate incident took place at around 7.50am and involved the assistance of Dover RNLI.
Police received a 999 call from a stricken vessel in the channel, south of Folkestone.
A Border Force cutter was deployed discovering a group of nine people - six adult males, two adult females and one child aged 12 years. This included one family unit.
They were taken to Dover where they were medically assessed and believed to be well, before being transferred to immigration officials for interview.
Seven of the migrants are believed to be Iraqis, the remaining two are believed to be Iranian.
A UK Coastguard spokesman said: "HM Coastguard is committed to safeguarding life around the seas and coastal areas of this country.
"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."
On December 28 last year, Home Secretary Sajid Javid declared the migrant situation a "major incident."
New government figures announced this week have revealed that more than 700 migrants have planned or tried to reach Britain via the Channel in small boats in 14 months.
And just over 140 were returned to France when stopped.
They show that British and French authorities encountered 562 people in 2018 and 177 in January and February this year.
The total of 739 included 133 who people arrived in the UK without being stopped, 293 who were intercepted and brought to the UK and 144 who were stopped and returned to France.
The remaining 167 were linked to aborted departures from France.
The statistics from the Home Office also say that from January 2018 to February 2019 there were 98 incidents involving migrants trying to cross the Channel.
