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Dozens of migrants taken to Dover after more than 30 hours at sea
French crews shadowed the dinghy overnight as 59 people were later transferred to a Border Force cutter, officials said.
UK Border Force vessels intercepted and safely transported dozens of migrants to the Port of Dover after they spent more than 30 hours adrift in small, overcrowded boats across the English Channel.
Search and rescue operations were initiated after coastal monitoring systems detected several small craft attempting the dangerous maritime crossing under precarious, high-wind conditions.
Medical personnel and emergency services met the arriving migrants at the dock to conduct immediate physical evaluations, treating multiple individuals for severe hypothermia, exposure, and dehydration.
British coast guard and maritime authorities noted that bad weather and rough sea state had significantly delayed rescue operations, leaving passengers stranded in open water for far longer than average crossing times.
The arrival underscores ongoing challenges for UK and French border enforcement as authorities attempt to dismantle human trafficking networks responsible for coordinating high-risk Channel crossings.