A freelance photographer in Dover has said that he counted more than 120 men, women and children being taken off of rescue vessels
Border Force patrol vessels in the UK and local lifeboats have been involved in the rescue of over 100 migrants in small vessels this morning in the English Channel.
At least seven rubber dinghies, as well as a kayak, were brought into Dover harbour.
A freelance photographer in Dover has said that she counted over 120 migrants, including men, women, children, and a baby, being taken from the Border Force ships and a lifeboat.
Elsewhere along the coast in Kent, at least one small vessel made it to shore, landing people on the beach at Dungeness.
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Photographer Susan Pilcher has said that the group consisted of 16 people, which includes young children.
She said: “They were sitting down in groups, some lying on the ground.
“There looked to be three family groups, mum, dad and kids and then two separate men on their own.”
Susan Pilcher has added that she believes that the number of migrants now reaching the coast of England has increased within recent weeks.
She continued: “It seems to be going absolutely crazy. I think it has certainly got worse.
“Before it used to be just men. Now we are seeing more women and children, even pregnant women.”
Rescue operations are still in operation across the English Channel, with reports that a further two kayaks are carrying suspected migrants have been spotted in the sea.
Authorities had been braced for another significant number of small boats crossing the channel as weather conditions between France and England begin to improve over the next few days.
Last week saw a record number of migrants being intercepted in the Channel in a single day, after 202 were found and taken to Dover.
Around 3,800 migrants have reached UK waters since the beginning of the year.
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In a statement last week, immigration minister Chris Philp said: “The number of illegal small boat crossings we are seeing from France is unacceptably high.
“France have stopped thousands of migrants this year… but more needs to be done.”
He continued: “We need stronger enforcement measures, including interceptions at sea and direct return of boats and the French have heard that directly from the home secretary.”
Video has recently surface of a French patrol boat escorting migrant vessels across the English Channel into British waters, but they appeared to make no attempt to stop the boat, or turn it back towards the French coast.
