Migrant dinghy heading towards UK was at sea more than 33 hours, French officials say

A migrant vessel heading towards the UK spent more than 33 hours at sea, French officials have said.

A French coastguard vessel shadowed the boat after it left the Normandy coast on Monday, with officials responding throughout yesterday and today.

Later, the French Maritime Prefecture for the English Channel and the North Sea (MRCC) said the small boat was carrying around 60 people as it attempted to cross the waterway.

It said in English that its Jobourg centre monitored the vessel from around 9am Monday to Tuesday afternoon, and added it was "ill-suited for such a crossing and whose occupants were weakened after more than 33 hours at sea in precarious conditions".

Sky News understands that the migrants were taken on board two RNLI vessels before being transferred to HMC Vigilant, a border control vessel.

The vessel appeared to have set off close to the village of Vierville-sur-Mer, west of Bayeux. Authorities say departures as far west as Normandy are rare.

The MRCC added: "The deployment of French assets specifically responds to the duty to render assistance stipulated by international and maritime law.

"This operation is also carried out within the known and delicate context of the migrants' refusal of assistance, as they are determined to take all risks to reach the United Kingdom."

It is very rare for the MRCC to send out press releases in English and for it to explain its operations.

The RNLI later said in a statement: "Before Border Force arrived on scene HM Coastguard directed the RNLI remove the people from their dinghy out of concern for their safety and their deteriorating health. At this point they had been at sea for 36 hours.

"The RNLI was also asked to facilitate transfer to Border Force vessel. The casualties were safely transferred to the Border Force cutter shortly afterwards and released from their tasking allowing them to return home."

Earlier this month, a dinghy had to be met by lifeboats from the Isle of Wight, having set off from the Cherbourg area, triggering angry protests in Portsmouth.

It is thought to have made one of the longest journeys of any small boat in the Channel.

Officials said at the time they believed it was a one-off rather than a sign of new tactics.

The UK's Maritime and Coastguard Agency said the migrants were due to be transferred to Border Security Command.

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Daniel Thomas, also known as Danny Tommo, the founder of the far-right anti-migration group Patriot Platform, which protested in Portsmouth and Dover this month, shared a YouTube livestream showing the boat from the sea.

Speculation from Patriot Platform that the migrants would be taken to Gosport in Hampshire led to hundreds of demonstrators gathering at a police cordon at the road entrance to the town's marina.

Several men wearing black, some with face coverings, arrived at the front of the protesters with chants of "send them back" from the crowd.

The black-clad protesters remained quiet as they lined up face-to-face with the police officers.

Hampshire Police said another protest took place in Portsmouth, the scene of an anti-migrant protest in Portsmouth in which officers were injured and vehicles were damaged earlier this month.

The force added that some of those who gathered became hostile towards officers and six people were arrested for offences including careless driving, assaulting an emergency worker and aggravated trespass. Most dispersed without incident.

Conservative MP for Gosport Dame Caroline Dinenage also said on Facebook that Border Force would be taking those who were crossing to Dover by water.

A government spokesperson said of the latest arrival: "The Border Security Command works around the clock to protect our border and will continue to detain, check and process every small boat arrival."

Hampshire Police said that the arrested people "remain in custody at this time and our enquiries into these incidents continue".

It added: "We are also aware of a video circulating online relating to damage being caused to a boat in the English Channel on the afternoon of 22 September, and we are conducting enquiries into the matter."

It comes after five people were detained and passed to Border Security Command after a migrant boat reached the Kent coast at Folkestone on Monday morning without being intercepted.

The Home Office said an investigation has been launched.

Around 17,480 migrants have arrived after crossing the Channel by boat so far this year. The total so far for 2026 is down 46% on the same point last year.

(c) Sky News 2026: Migrant dinghy heading towards UK was at sea more than 33 hours, French officials say