French navy escorts dozens of migrants across the Channel before asking UK Border Force to pick them up – while cheering asylum seekers thank Keir Starmer as they land on our shores
Dozen of migrants crossed the Channel this morning escorted by the French Navy – who even asked Border Force officers to pick them up.
Numerous boats made the journey on a busy day with smugglers piling boats full as the winter months approached.
They thanked Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer for his ‘help’ – as the numbers continue to soar under Labour.
An Iranian family – including two pregnant women – piled on one boat.
The French Navy escorted another packed boat carrying 50 migrants across the water and gave orders to British Border Force officers to monitor others.
In extraordinary scenes, radio messages outlined the French warship speaking to Border Force staff on board the cutter Typhoon.
Dozen of migrants crossed the Channel this morning escorted by the French Navy – who even asked Border Force officers to pick them up
The French Navy escorted another packed boat carrying 50 migrants across the water and gave orders to British Border Force officers to monitor others
In extraordinary scenes, radio messages outlined the French warship, Aber Ildut, speaking to Border Force staff on board the cutter Typhoon
A boat with 16 Iranian men and women, all from the same family, also crossed
They travelled in a smart Yamaha boat, valued at around £5,000, including the engine
Some were wearing designer clothes, including a Icono Couture hoody. And they were also on their iPhones, believed to be updating smugglers back in France on the progress of their journey
A group of up to fifty migrants seen making the journey by a large dinghy across the English Channel
Pictured: Three of the men from the boat carrying a family of 16 Iranian migrants, including two pregnant women
The family of 16 Iranian people included two pregnant women who said they felt ‘terrified’
They were discussing the boat with 50 on board as it was heading into British waters after being observed by the French.
The French Navy officer said: ‘Typhoon, this is the french warship.
‘We are in search and rescue, small dinghy which is ahead of you, do you see it?’
Border force: ‘Yes we have visual on it?’
French navy officer: ‘Do you pick him up?’
Border Force: ‘Yes, just processing last migrant boat and will pick it up in a few moments.’
French navy: ‘Thank you.’
A boat with 16 Iranian men and women, all from the same family, also crossed.
They spoke to our reporter as they travelled in a smart Yamaha boat, valued at around £5,000, including the engine.
The group included two pregnant women who said they felt ‘terrified’.
Some were wearing designer clothes, including a Icono Couture hoody.
They said they had spent £2,000 to £3,000 each for the trip and had paid up front
One also proudly declared himself a ‘refugee’ and the group cheered and shouted for joy when approaching Britain
But wide smiles returned when the boat started to work again and they made their way to Dover, where a Border Force vessel accompanied them
When asked if they were looking for work in Britain, one said: ‘No – we are refugees’
One member of the family said: ‘This is great. We want to thank Prime Minister Keir Starmer’
And they were also on their iPhones, believed to be updating smugglers back in France on the progress of their journey.
They said they had spent £2,000 to £3,000 each for the trip and had paid up front.
One also proudly declared himself a ‘refugee’ and the group cheered and shouted for joy when approaching Britain.
There was frantic panic when their boat briefly broke down and they believed the French might be picking them up as they were in French waters.
But wide smiles returned when the boat started to work again and they made their way to Dover, where a Border Force vessel accompanied them.
One said: ‘This is great. We want to thank Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
‘There’s 16 of us here and we’re refugees.
‘We have a woman here who is four months pregnant. She’s very cold, we all are.’
When asked if they were looking for work in Britain, one said: ‘No – we are refugees.’
One stood up and said: ‘We do not want to go back to France. We need to go to Britain. We want to go to England. Please, England. Not France. We do not want the French Navy. We will call 999 for help’
At this point the boat stayed still for several minutes until the engine began to work and it was one of a number of boats which made the journey into Dover
Several of those on board had life jackets – and one even dangled his feet in the water as he relaxed
But others were wearing flimsy yellow tape around their waists as a makeshift and cheaper life jacket
Another group of up to 50 migrants in a larger boat crossing the channel and heading for the UK
When their boat started to stop working, panic struck.
One stood up and said: ‘We do not want to go back to France. We need to go to Britain.
‘We want to go to England. Please, England. Not France.
‘We do not want the French Navy.
‘We will call 999 for help.’
At this point the boat stayed still for several minutes until the engine began to work and it was one of a number of boats which made the journey into Dover.
Several of those on board had life jackets – and one even dangled his feet in the water as he relaxed.
But others were wearing flimsy yellow tape around their waists as a makeshift and cheaper life jacket.
