36 migrants brought to shore at Dover and Dungeness after being intercepted by Border Force officials
15:48, 22 April 2019
updated: 16:45, 22 April 2019
Three more boats carrying migrants trying to reach the UK have been brought to shore.
The small vessels, which had a total of 36 men, women and children on board, were all intercepted off the Kent coast this morning.
Border Force officials were alerted to the first arrival during the early hours.
Eleven men were brought to Dover after a cutter was deployed and intercepted their vessel.
A group of 15 men, women and children were later in the morning brought to Dungeness by the RNLI when officials were alerted to another small boat off the coast.
Shortly afterwards, another group of 10 adults, made up of nine men and one woman, was brought to shore at Dover after being picked up by a coastal patrol vessel.
The nationalities of the migrants, who say they are from Iraq and Iran, have not yet been confirmed.
All have been medically assessed before being transferred to immigration officials for interview.
These three incidents today means a net total of 52 cases involving a total 463 people arriving in Britain via small craft since November 8.
These are people who have landed by themselves or being rescued and brought ashore.
Other incidents have happened in the Deal and Folkestone areas.
There is a gross figure since that time of 63 cases with a total 563 people, which includes migrants stopped by French authorities and taken back to France.
"Anyone crossing the Channel in a small boat is taking a huge risk with their life and the lives of their children" - Home Office
Since January, more than 20 people who arrived in the UK in search of asylum after making the dangerous crossing from France have been returned to Europe.
A Home Office spokesman said: "Anyone crossing the Channel in a small boat is taking a huge risk with their life and the lives of their children.
"Since the Home Secretary declared a major incident in December, two cutters have returned to UK waters from overseas operations, we have agreed a joint action plan with France and increased activity out of the Joint Coordination and Information Centre in Calais."
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