Investigation after migrant boat ‘reaches Kent coast’ without being intercepted

An investigation has begun into whether a migrant boat reached the Kent coast without being intercepted by the Border Force.

The thousands of people crossing the Channel are usually brought to shore in Border Force or RNLI boats but one is reported to have slipped through on Saturday, the first time this has happened since December 2022.

Just under 100,000 people have made the perilous crossing since that date and more than 1,000 were recorded on Saturday.

The news, first reported by Bloomberg, came as a woman was confirmed dead by Kent Police after a small boat incident in the English Channel on Tuesday.

Border Force vessels and RNLI lifeboats have been responding to small boats during the day.

Police said five people were detained in a village north of Dover and passed to immigration authorities on Saturday, a day when more than 1,000 people were recorded to have arrived in the UK by small boat.

No small boat arrivals to the UK coast without an escort have been officially recorded since December 10 2022, and Home Office figures currently show zero for Saturday.

A Kent Police spokeswoman said: “At 7.50pm on Saturday September 6, Kent Police was called to a report of suspected migrants near Kingsdown, Deal.

“Patrols attended and five people were detained and passed to Border Force officers.”

The Home Office declined to comment as the investigation is ongoing.

Asked about the incident on Tuesday, the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “My understanding is the circumstances of their arrival are being investigated, that all five people were placed under immigration control.

“We obviously have significant arrangements and technology in place to prevent uncontrolled landings. But look, whilst the investigation is ongoing, it’s not possible to provide any more detail on this specific instance.”

The probe comes as more migrants continued to cross the Channel on Tuesday, with at least five boats seen arriving in Dover.

Footage shows people arriving at the Kent port, and disembarking from Border Force boats on Tuesday.

A coastguard emergency helicopter was also seen flying above the area.

A Kent Police spokeswoman confirmed a woman had died after an incident in the Channel.

“Kent Police was made aware by the coastguard of an incident in the Channel involving a small boat just after 1pm on Tuesday September 9 2025,” the spokeswoman said.

“One woman was airlifted back to shore where she was pronounced deceased.

“Officers are conducing inquiries to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident.”

A Maritime and Coastguard Agency spokesman said: “HM Coastguard sent UK Border Force vessels, RNLI lifeboats, and HM Coastguard aircraft, in response to small boat activity reported in the Channel on September 9.”

The RNLI also confirmed their involvement in “incidents in the Channel” on Tuesday afternoon.

Two of their vessels could be seen on a marine tracker heading to a possible rescue site about 10 miles from the coast.

Two coastguard vans and ambulances were waiting to receive migrants at the Port of Dover.

The crossings comes as the prime minister’s new cabinet met for the first time on Tuesday, including newly-appointed Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood who is tasked with ramping up the UK’s response to the record arrivals.

Since starting her role just days ago, the number of migrants arriving in the UK after crossing the English Channel topped 30,000 for the year so far.

It is the earliest point in a calendar year at which the 30,000 mark has been passed since data on Channel crossings was first reported in 2018.

Ms Mahmood said the numbers were “utterly unacceptable” and that she expected migrant returns under a deal agreed last month with France to begin “imminently”.

The “one in, one out” agreement with France detained the first migrants under the scheme on August 6, but has not yet seen sent anyone back to the continent.

Asked why no returns have taken place so far, the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “I’m not going to get into the operational detail of it but, as I say, we’ve said that we’re expecting returns to begin this month.”

He said the political turmoil in France was not to blame for the length of time the process has taken.