Border police rescue 16 migrants including a baby off Dover today – taking total arrivals over 1,000 this year – as French patrol saves six children from a stricken boat off Calais
- Border Force picked up group in two boats and brought them into Dover today
- Group included man carrying a baby in a blue blanket and around 14 others
- Two more boats carrying 27 people, incl children, picked up by French patrols
- Comes after 49 in three boats were brought to shore in Kent yesterday
- Here’s how to help people impacted by Covid-19
Border Force picked up 15 migrants and a baby off the Kent coast this morning, with more than 600 already found trying to enter the UK during lockdown so far.
Officials discovered 16 people, including a man carrying a newborn in a blue blanket, in two boats out to sea in the early hours of Monday.
They were brought to shore at Dover where they will be examined for symptoms of coronavirus and processed by officials.
Another 27 migrants, including seven children, were picked up in two boats off the coast of Calais by French authorities.
Yesterday 49 in three boats were caught trying to get across the Channel in the first crossing this month.
More than 600 people have tried to enter the UK illegally in boats or dinghies since the country went on lockdown on March 23.
Around 16 people, including a man carrying a baby are pictured coming into shore at Dover this morning after being picked up off the Kent coast
The baby is pictured being carried by a man in the group with the other migrants wearing masks
That tally is already nearing the figure of 1,850 for the whole of last year.
In a separate incident, 27 more migrants were picked up by French patrol ships as they tried to make it to the UK this morning.
French authorities announced that they dealt with two boats this morning.
At 4.30am, a patrol boat picked up 16 migrants – including two women and six children.
And at 8:32am, another patrol boat rescued 11 migrants – including four women and a child – and collected their boat.
All 27 were brought to Boulogne-sur-Mer and were handed over to border police.
It was revealed at the weekend that just five per cent of migrants who have crossed since January 2019 have been sent back to Europe.
Former MEP and Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage, who is based in Kent, was seen at Dover today, days after being slammed for travelling 100 miles during lockdown to make a video on migrant crossings in Hastings, East Sussex.
He said today: ‘Over 1,000 people have come in through Dover already this year.
‘Unless we act, it will be many thousands more. Time for the Home Secretary to step up.
‘I witnessed first hand our Border Force acting as a taxi service, this must change.
MailOnline revealed last month that the Home Office are not testing migrants for coronavirus when they are brought into the UK.
Rather than test asylum seekers, officials say doctors and nurses will examine migrants for any symptoms of COVID-19.
Any person showing symptoms will be isolated, including those in detention centres, where special isolation areas have been set up, the Home Office has confirmed.
MailOnline has contacted the Home Office for further comment on today’s attempted crossings.
They were brought to shore at Dover where they will be examined for symptoms of coronavirus and processed by officials
More than 600 people have tried to enter the UK illegally in boats or dinghies since the country went on lockdown on March 23. Pictured: Today’s crossing
Border Force officials are pictured yesterday towing two of three boats back to shore after migrants were found in them off the Kent coast