A man has been arrested after eight migrants were found in Kent when an unattended inflatable boat was spotted on a beach.

The migrants were found in Lydd, three and a half miles away from where the boat was discovered on the coastline at Dungeness.

One of the eight migrants was taken to hospital, while the others were detained by border officials.

The man arrested by police was found by officers during a search near the boat and is being held on suspicion of facilitating entry into the UK.

Image: The men were found in the town after an empty boat was spotted on shore

The empty boat in Dungeness, spotted at 8.10am this morning, prompted an "extensive search" of the Channel by the coastguard.


Search teams were stood down when it became clear there were no maritime casualties.

A Home Office spokesperson said: "Border Force was contacted by HM Coastguard this morning, Monday 7 January, at around 8.20am after they received reports of an unattended RHIB at Dungeness, Kent.

"Border Force officers were deployed to secure the vessel. A search of the local area found eight people. Seven of those are now in Border Force care and the eighth has been transferred to hospital.

Image: The coastguard said it was concerned only with preservation of life

"A ninth man, who was also found in the area, has been arrested on suspicion of facilitating illegal entry to the UK.

"The incident is currently being investigated by officers from Immigration Enforcement's Criminal and Financial Investigation team."

Pictures from the seaside town show police, paramedics and border force tending to a number of men. They were given foil blankets, and one of them appeared to be searched by officers.

Image: Dungeness beach where an empty inflatable boat was found

Five migrants were reportedly found on Harden Road in Lydd, about three and a half miles away from the beach.

A spokesman for the Maritime and Coastguard Agency said: "HM Coastguard has been coordinating a search at Dungeness in Kent after an empty RHIB (rigid-hulled inflatable boat) was found on the shore.

Image: The men were spotted with foil blankets after emergency services found them

Image: Vehicles said to be holding two of five migrants found in Kent

"Dungeness Coastguard Rescue Team led the beach search and Kent Police has been informed.

"Following an extensive search of the area, HM Coastguard was satisfied that there were no maritime casualties and the search team was stood down."

The spokesman added the coastguard is "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".

Image: The boat thought to have been carrying a group of migrants is taken away

Image: It is not clear where the men are from

It comes after Home Secretary Sajid Javid declared the number of migrants trying to cross the Channel a "major incident" and announced extra measures, including a Royal Navy vessel, to deter future crossings.

HMS Mersey was sent to patrol the channel from Friday but there was said to be an ongoing dispute over who would foot the bill.

Of the 504 migrants seeking to cross the Channel in 2018, 276 managed to get to British waters and coasts and 228 were intercepted by French authorities.

The French interior ministry said most people were Iranian.