12 migrants detained in Lydd-on-Sea as Sajid Javid holds crisis talks

National Crime Agency and Border Force officials at Lydd-on-sea
Sky News
Megan White31 December 2018

Twelve suspected migrants have been detained after they landed in a dinghy on a Kent beach.

Nine men, two women and a child, all from Iran, arrived in a small black motor-powered boat just after 8am on Monday at the beach at Lydd-on-sea.

Pictures from the beach, which is close to Dungeness, showed officers searching the small boat.

One local, who regularly visits the beach, tweeted: “I have just been for a walk along the beach, there was quite a police presence and the helicopter has been going around, we can hear it over the sea.

"I saw the dinghy which was empty it was fairly big and black in colour.

"We didn't get a full view as they were along the side of the van, but it looked like a group of men in dark coats - we didn't see any children."

A Home Office spokesman said: “Border Force was contacted by Kent Police at around 8.25am, today, Monday 31 December.

"Border Force officers were deployed to assist with a group of 12 migrants at Greatstone, Kent.

“The group consisted of nine men, two women and 10-year-old child. They have presented themselves as Iranian nationals.

The black dinghy was spotted on Lydd Beach this morning with a police presence
@LassMarsh

“They all received a medical assessment and have now been transferred to immigration officials for interview.”

A Kent Police spokesman said: "Kent Police was made aware at 8.16am on Monday 31 December 2018 of a report of a group of suspected migrants seen in Coast Drive, Greatstone.

"Officers attended to assist Border Force who are dealing with the incident."

It came as Home Secretary Sajid Javid was holding talks with Whitehall chiefs, the National Crime Agency and Border Force officials to address the issue.

Around 100 migrants have so far made the perilous Channel crossing in dinghies and other small craft over the Christmas period.

An "enhanced action plan" to be launched this week will include increased joint patrols and surveillance, disruption of organised trafficking gangs and efforts to raise awareness among migrants of the dangers of a Channel crossing.

But Mr Javid faced accusations of over-egging the scale of the problem, with shadow home secretary Diane Abbott telling the Guardian: "There's no question that with Brexit, and also with the approach of the meaningful vote in January, people are being whipped up about migration issues, because the Government thinks this is the best way of frightening people to vote for their deal."

This story is being updated

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