UK authorities prepare as migrant dinghy heads for south coast from Normandy

A small boat carrying migrants is being tracked by French coastguard and rescue vessels as it moves towards the Channel boundary line, according to ship tracking data.

The vessel is heading for the south coast, and authorities are preparing for its arrival.

Ship tracking data suggested the dinghy set off from near the Utah Beach area of Normandy on Sunday morning.

HM Coastguard said it is “currently liaising with French authorities about a small boat within French waters of the Channel, south of the UK central south coast”.

Caroline Dinenage, Conservative MP for Gosport, said there is “nothing to suggest” the boat will be landing in Hampshire but that police are “making preparations should that situation change”.

Ms Dinenage said in a social media post: “I am aware of reports of a migrant boat crossing from Normandy towards the south coast of the UK.

“I have contacted the Home Office border security minister and requested an urgent update.

“At present, there is nothing to suggest that the boat will be landing in Gosport.

“Understandably, local police will be making preparations should that situation change.”

George Madgwick, a Hampshire Reform UK councillor, shared images on social media of coaches and police, which he said were in the Fareham area of Hampshire ready for “a small boat due to land locally”.

A Government spokesperson said: “The Border Security Command works around the clock to monitor the Channel and protect our border. It is vital we continue to detain, check and process every small boat arrival.”

Departures from as far west as Normandy have been rare in recent years.

But this is the third such crossing in the space of a month.

In September, British rescue boats collected the passengers of a migrant dinghy which had spent around 30 hours at sea after setting off from Normandy.

The 51 migrants on board had refused help from the French coastguard.

They arrived in Dover after being transferred to Border Security Command boats.

At the time, the migrants were expected to be taken to Gosport, and hundreds of protesters gathered after coaches and ambulances were spotted in the area.

Six people were arrested by officers during the evening.

The provisional total for Channel crossings this year is 19,451.

That figure is down 43% on this time last year and 23% below the number at this stage in 2024.