Four Syrian men have made applications to remain in the UK after a ship docked in Northfleet last week.

A crew of 22, including 17 Syrian nationals, arrived on a Belize-registered ship at docks in Northfleet. Eyewitnesses claimed that some of the men “jumped ship”.

Police and border control attended on Wednesday when the ship arrived, but were too late to catch the men.

The Home Office has confirmed that four Syrian crew members have applied to remain in the country while a fifth has not returned to the vessel after it left.

The missing man’s details have been shared with Home Office Immigration Enforcement and the police.

All crew members are entitled to shore leave while their vessel is docked at port, so the male was not considered to have committed an offence until the ship departed last Thursday evening.

A Home Office spokesman said: "Four Syrian men, who were crew members of a Belize-registered vessel that had docked at Northfleet last week, have made applications to remain in the UK which are being considered by the Home Office.

"A fifth crew member, who had disembarked on shore leave, had not returned to the vessel when it left Northfleet on Thursday (September 10) evening.

"His details have been shared with Home Office Immigration Enforcement and the police."