A migrant dinghy carrying approximately 59 people was rescued after spending around 30 hours at sea following a perilous crossing from Normandy, France. The inflatable vessel set off on Monday morning near Vierville-sur-Mer, west of Bayeux, aiming to reach the United Kingdom across a roughly 70-mile stretch of water. French coastguard authorities monitored the boat for over 24 hours before Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) lifeboats intercepted it in UK waters on Tuesday afternoon.
The dinghy, described by French rescuers as being in poor condition and low in the water with a single small outboard motor, faced calm seas and favorable weather during the crossing. Two occupants reportedly jumped from the boat due to hypothermia and were subsequently hospitalized. The French coastguard and a helicopter tracked the boat’s progress while deciding to escort the vessel without direct intervention.
Following the RNLI’s rescue operations, the migrants were transferred to the UK Border Force ship Vigilant near the southeast coast. Activist and anti-migrant campaigner Danny Thomas, founder of Patriot Platform and associated with far-right figure Tommy Robinson, was filmed approaching the abandoned dinghy on a motorboat and damaging it with a knife. Thomas livestreamed the incident, accusing the French tug Abeille Liberte of aiding migrants and calling the crew "traitors." He also criticized the Border Force’s role during the transfer.
The dinghy was initially expected to arrive in Gosport, Hampshire, prompting hundreds of demonstrators and a significant police presence. However, authorities later confirmed that the migrants were headed to Dover. Hampshire Police and Crime Commissioner Donna Jones expressed concern over the lack of government communication regarding plans for handling such landings in the county and the financial burden placed on local policing.
This recent crossing marks the second attempt this month of the longer route from Normandy, amid warnings that people smugglers may be establishing a new trajectory for migrant crossings. Earlier in September, RNLI crews assisted in rescuing about 140 people from another dinghy that set off from the Cherbourg area in Normandy; those migrants were brought to Portsmouth, where they encountered protests led by Thomas.
The increased number of crossings has drawn criticism from UK political figures. Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said the situation amounts to "border security descending into chaos," citing the growing size and distance of migrant boats. Defence Minister Luke Pollard stressed that the country’s borders remain secure but acknowledged the government’s intention to strengthen protections.
On Monday, a migrant boat arrived in Folkestone, Kent, without interception, resulting in five arrests. Authorities continue to monitor the escalating activity as migrant crossings persist along the English Channel.