Daily Mail
· collected 2026-09-23 · by David Barrett, James Fielding, Peter Allen, Joe Rossiter
A mega-dinghy carrying around 60 migrants made a historic 38-hour crossing from Port-en-Bessin near Bayeux to Dover, England, escorted by the French navy and RNLI. The journey began on Monday morning and ended after midnight on Tuesday. Protesters gathered in Portsmouth and Gosport initially expecting the dinghy's arrival but were later redirected to Dover when it was rerouted there. Conservative MP Chris Philp criticized the situation as a "fiasco," arguing that the £662 million deal between Britain and France is ineffective in preventing such crossings.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-23,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
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Channel migrants aboard a mega-dinghy have arrived in Dover after an unprecedented 38-hour voyage to the UK.
asserted
migrants → see → UK
It started from Port-en-Bessin, north of Bayeux in Normandy, just before 10am on Monday, and the occupants – estimated to number around 60 – arrived in the Kent port after midnight following reports they had been bound for Gosport, Hampshire.
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they → start → Gosport
It is thought to be the longest duration of any voyage undertaken by small-boat migrants – and it was branded a 'fiasco' by the Conservatives.
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it → think → Conservatives
Following reports yesterday the dinghy was to dock in Gosport, hundreds of protesters turned out in the town – and in nearby Portsmouth – but the effort dissipated after the boat was rerouted to Dover.
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boat → follow → Dover
Hampshire Police described some of those who remained in Gosport thereafter as 'hostile' towards officers and said it arrested six people for offences including careless driving, assaulting an emergency worker and aggravated trespass.
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it → describe → worker
Around a dozen protesters were seen in Dover as the migrants arrived and officers closed nearby roads in anticipation.
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officers → see → anticipation
The dinghy incident raised serious questions over the effectiveness of Labour's £662million deal with the French to prevent crossings.
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incident → raise → crossings
The mega-dinghy with at least 60 on board began its 38-hour journey escorted by the French Navy...
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dinghy → begin → Navy
Before the French sailors handed over to the RNLI in the Channel
Meanwhile protesters - some wearing masks - gathered in Gosport and Portsmouth, Hampshire, as reports suggested the dinghy may dock nearby
Gosport's MP Caroline Dineage said the boat had been rerouted to Dover but some protesters remained in the town
Photos last night showed the migrants making their way into a Border Security Command compound in Dover
Those pictured had their hoods up and were mostly wearing hats and orange life jackets
French authorities, who shadowed the dinghy across the Channel, said they decided not to intervene due to safety concerns.
As tides took the boat back towards the French coast on Monday evening, it was so close to shore another ten to 15 migrants were able to board, it is claimed.
uncertain
it → hand → shore
Shadow home secretary Chris Philp said: 'This latest fiasco shows that the French are not even trying to stop the illegal immigrants' boats in French waters – instead they are escorting them here.
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they → say → them
'Our border security has descended into chaos with migrants crossing at will over ever larger distances and in ever larger boats.
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migrants → descend → boats
'The Government's claim to smash the gangs is laughable and their deal with the French is clearly not working.
uncertain
deal → smash → French
'The Conservatives have a plan to end all accommodation and benefits for illegal immigrants, and instead deport them on arrival.
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Conservatives → have → arrival
Then, these farcical crossings would soon stop.'
Four French lifeboats plus the search-and-rescue tugboat Abeille Liberté, along with a French Navy helicopter, were scrambled to the 40ft dinghy's location on Monday.
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lifeboats → stop → Monday
A spokesman for local rescue services said: 'The boat was in a very bad way, and very low in the water, with just a single small outboard motor to power it.
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boat → say → it
'The sea was calm, and weather conditions were good, but the decision was taken to escort the boat, without intervening.'
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decision → take → boat
The Abeille Liberté continued to follow the migrant boat yesterday morning and afternoon.
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Liberté → continue → boat
At about 4.30pm, the migrants were transferred from their dinghy to two RNLI lifeboats.
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migrants → transfer → lifeboats
Half an hour later, they switched to Border Force's HMC Vigilant.
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they → switch → Vigilant
Hampshire Police said it made six arrests in Gosport after some protesters who remained on the streets became 'hostile' towards officers
Protesters fronted up to police officers in Gosport as the dinghy's progress was livestreamed online
The boat was escorted by sturdier vessels throughout its passage to Britain
Border Security Command boat HMC Vigilant returned to Dover in the early hours of this morning
The cutter then headed towards Gosport but last night the town's Conservative MP Dame Caroline Dinenage said she was 'pleased' Border Force had confirmed the migrants were instead being taken 'to Dover by water as we asked'.
She added: 'This must now set a clear precedent.
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This → say → precedent
If further boats are intercepted in our part of the Channel, they should be taken straight to Dover.
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they → intercept → Dover
Hampshire Police said it was investigating a reported slashing of a boat in the Channel after a video appearing to show the attack was posted on social media.
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video → say → media
Migrants are normally processed at Manston, near Ramsgate.
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Migrants → process → Ramsgate
This incident comes just over two weeks after a mega-dinghy with 120 migrants aboard was brought into Eastney Marina, three miles from Portsmouth's main harbour, sparking protests.
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dinghy → come → protests
The Daily Mail reported yesterday how a migrant boat reached Folkestone in Kent without being intercepted by UK Border Force.
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boat → report → Force
Defence minister Luke Pollard said a Home Office investigation was under way.
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investigation → say → way
Up to Sunday, 17,480 migrants have arrived via the Channel this year.
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migrants → arrive → Channel
The Aporia
