Refugees make it to land in Kent after hazardous Channel crossing

A rubber dinghy packed with refugees has landed on a beach in Kent after crossing the Channel. About 10 men were pictured on board the small boat as it approached the shingle beach on Monday morning. They were heard shouting out as the vessel ran aground at Kingsdown, near Dover.

As the dinghy ground to a halt, they were seen leaving the boat and running across the beach towards some trees. Kent Police and immigration enforcement officers were also seen in the area.

More boats carrying refugees are also believed to have crossed the English Channel on Monday. Border Force and French patrols have been active in the Dover Strait since the early hours of the morning. The latest crossings come after hundreds of people reached the UK on Friday, with thousands making the hazardous journey since the start of 2020.

Later, the Kingsdown dinghy was seen being towed back out to sea where it was taken on board Border Force cutter Seeker, which arrived in the area soon after the landings.

The PA news agency, which tracks and analyses the crossings, understands that more than 6,100 people have sought refuge in the UK through Channel crossings this year. This is despite home secretary Priti Patel’s vow to make the route “unviable”, and the continued row between the Home Office and the legal profession on how to handle the crossings.