Suspected migrants picked up in Channel near Dover
- Published
Seven suspected migrants in a boat in the English Channel off Dover put out a rescue call in the early hours.
The men aged between 19 and 54 said they were Iranian. They were found in a small dinghy by Border Force officers, the Home Office said.
Assisted by a coastguard crew who were called out at 02:20 GMT, the group was brought ashore.
Following medical assessments they were interviewed by immigration officials.
A Home Office spokesman said: "Their cases will be dealt with according to the immigration rules."
It’s thought this is the boat from which 7 Iranian migrants were rescued overnight off Dover. pic.twitter.com/NOBiB92ukf
— Simon Jones (@SimonJonesNews) November 9, 2018
The Home Office said the alarm was raised by those on board.
"The weather conditions at the time were moderate, although the vessel was unsuitable for such a crossing," a spokesman said.
No-one in the group had required medical treatment, it was later confirmed.