18 migrants found in two boats off Kent coast
Boats carrying 18 migrants have been found in the English Channel near the Kent coast.
A Border Force cutter intercepted the first small boat about four miles south east of Folkestone as it headed towards the UK at around 4am on Thursday, the Home Office said.
Kent Police said officers were also alerted to the boat as it passed near the Port of Dover.
The five men found on board, whose nationalities are yet to be confirmed, were taken to Dover and handed to immigration officers.
About an hour later, the cutter found a second boat with 13 people on board two miles south of Folkestone.
Men, women and children – whose nationalities have also not been confirmed – were on board.
The Home Office said it was unable to confirm how many were children.
It comes a day after 14 migrants, including two children, who said they were from Iran and Iraq, were also found off the south coast.
