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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
National

Twelve migrants from Syria and Iran rescued from boats in the English Channel

Rescued: This image provided by the Marine Nationale (French Navy) shows migrants aboard a rubber boat after being intercepted by French authorities, off the port of Calais, northern France (Picture: Marine Nationale via AP)

Twelve migrants from Syria and Iran have been intercepted in the English Channel.

Border force officials rescued the men travelling in two inflatable boats on Friday morning.

They were brought to shore at Dover and handed over to immigration officials to be interviewed.

It follows a string of attempts by migrants to cross the Channel over the Christmas period.

An inflatable boat, carrying one Syrian and three Iranians, was reported to the Coastguard at around 3am.

A view of a Border Force patrol boat in Dover Marina, Kent (PA)

At around 9am a second boat, which was carrying eight Iranians, was also spotted.

On Christmas Day more than 40 migrants tried to cross the sea and enter the UK.

Boxing Day saw three more migrants intercepted in a small boat and on Thursday an inflatable boat carrying nine people was rescued by a lifeboat crew three miles off the coast of Sandgate in Kent.

Speaking after the incident on Thursday, Immigration Minister Caroline Nokes branded the number of migrants crossing the Channel as "deeply concerning".

File photo: A Border Force boat (PA)

She added: "Some of this is clearly facilitated by organised crime groups while other attempts appear to be opportunistic.

"We are in close and continual contact with the French authorities and law enforcement partners including through the new UK-France Coordination and Information Centre which opened in Calais at the end of last month to tackle criminality at the border.

"Attempting to cross the Channel in this way is extremely dangerous and they are putting their lives at risk.

"People should also be in no doubt that border Force and the Police Aux Frontiers are working together 24 hours a day to prevent attempts, protect life and prosecute offenders.

"At the same time, the UK's NCA-led Organised Immigration Taskforce is working to stop people smuggling at source."

Additional reporting by PA.

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