For the first time in a year, an unescorted migrant dinghy has reached the UK coastline – and it’s only the second time since 2022.
The small boat arrived unescorted for the first time in a year (Image: GB News)
An investigation has been launched after a small boat reached British shores unescorted by UK Border Force.
The ‘rare’ incident saw a dinghy with five migrants land on the Kent coastline, near Folkestone, on Monday (September 21). The Home Office said it has ‘detained’ the boat passengers.
‘Uncontrolled’ landings such as this are extremely uncommon. While more than 17,000 people have arrived in the UK on small boats this year, it is the first time a small migrant boat has landed uncontrolled for around a year, according to the Daily Mail.
The last uncontrolled landing took place in Dover last September, while the unescorted landing before that took place in December 2022.
Usually, small boats are monitored by French authorities until the half-way point of the Channel, before they are escorted on to British soil by UK vessels monitoring their progress.
Five people were detained, the Home Office said (Image: GB News)
In some cases, the RNLI is called to help vessels in distress, as happened when a 120-person ‘mega dinghy’ landed in Eastney, Portsmouth earlier this month — sparking large protests.
It’s been reported authorities were only alerted to the presence of the migrants after a GB News producer located them near Kingsdown Beach and called them.
The Home Office has now confirmed it has launched an investigation.
A spokesperson said: “This was an isolated and rare incident. Officers responded quickly, detaining all five individuals on board.
“There is an ongoing investigation and it would be inappropriate to comment further.”
Some 17,480 migrants have arrived in the UK via small boats so far in 2026, according to Home Office data. That represents a 46pc fall compared to the same period last year.
The fall comes as the Home Office declared a smaller number of ‘red days’ — when conditions are favourable for small in 2026 compared to 2025. From January to August 2025, there were 123 red days, compared to 110 in the same period this year.