A Cabinet minister acknowledged that not all migrant boats can be intercepted after two undetected landings in two days. The most recent landing occurred on Thursday, following another in Folkestone on Monday morning. Prior to these incidents, no uncontrolled arrivals had been recorded since September 6, 2025, indicating a significant concern for the government's efforts to control small boat crossings across the Channel.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-24,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
In late September 2025, two small boats carrying migrants landed undetected on British shores within 24 hours in Kent and Folkestone, drawing criticism from opposition figures. The first dinghy arrived in Folkestone with up to seven people, while a second boat reached Samphire Hoe near Dover the following day, where 21 individuals were detained by Border Security Command and RNLI boats. These incidents are unprecedented since September 6, 2025, as uncontrolled landings had been rare due to improved surveillance technology and resources. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has ordered an urgent review into the events, acknowledging that even a single uncontrolled landing is unacceptable. Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp accused Mahmood of losing control over borders, while Labour's Lucy Powell admitted on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that it's impossible to stop every migrant boat. Additionally, concerns have been raised about security risks after reports emerged that a Russian national was among the migrants who landed in Dover last week.
Written for “Migrant Boats Evading Border Force” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 6 other(s) covering the same event.
Not every migrant boat can be intercepted, a Cabinet minister has said, after two uncontrolled landings from the Channel in two days.
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minister → intercept → days
It was the second undetected landing in two days, following a dinghy making it to shore at Folkestone on Monday morning.
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It → follow → morning
Ms Powell echoed that language on Thursday, while suggesting not all crossings could be prevented.
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crossings → echo → Thursday
Asked on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme if the situation was embarrassing for the Government, she responded: “(You) can’t stop everything all of the time.
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You → ask → time
“Of course, it’s a concern.
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it → ’ → ?
That’s why the Home Secretary has demanded and ordered this urgent review, because this is not what we want to see.
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we → ’ → what
“But the overall picture is an improving picture.
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picture → improve → ?
It is hard, difficult work that requires constant, constant effort by our border forces, our security services, police, our partnerships with France and other countries.
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that → require → France
“This is a mammoth and huge task, which is now starting to reap some dividends.
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which → start → dividends
But of course, you know where there are still issues arising, we must absolutely tackle them.”
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we → know → them
Pressed on Good Morning Britain whether she stood by her statement, Ms Powell said: “I think you’re just taking that completely out of context.
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you → press → context
“We are clamping down on small boat crossings every single day…
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We → clamp → crossings
we are sucking the oxygen out of it, we are taking steps, and there are many, many steps.
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we → suck → steps
“It’s not an easy thing to do to just turn on a switch, turn off a switch overnight.
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It → ’ → switch
We have to constantly evolve.”
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We → have → ?
Most of the thousands of migrants crossing the Channel are brought to shore by Border Security Command and a small proportion by RNLI boats.
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Most → cross → boats
Before Monday, no small boat arrivals to the UK coast without an escort had been officially recorded since September 6, 2025.
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arrivals → record → September
Uncontrolled landings are so rare that last year’s incident was the only other one recorded since the Home Office began keeping data in 2023.
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Office → record → 2023
It will come as a blow to Border Security Command, which had suggested they were a thing of the past thanks to new surveillance technology and improved resources.
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they → come → technology
Ms Mahmood said on Wednesday that “even one” uncontrolled landing is “one too many”, and that the urgent review she had ordered would look into “what must be done to ensure it doesn’t happen again”.
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it → say → Wednesday
“Keir Starmer’s pledge to ‘smash the gangs’ was always a farce, and open-borders Burnham has learnt absolutely nothing from his predecessor.
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Burnham → smash → predecessor
“The only way to stop the crossings is to deport all illegal immigrants on arrival, and only the Conservatives have a plan to do that.”
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Conservatives → stop → that
Fellow Tory frontbencher Helen Whately accused Andy Burnham’s Government of being “incredibly weak on illegal immigration”.
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Whately → accuse → immigration
She added: “They should have stopped the boats, they have failed.”
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they → add → boats
Lib Dem home affairs spokesman Max Wilkinson said: “Until the Government adopts Liberal Democrat proposals to tackle the root cause by entering the EU’s landmark migration and asylum pact, these smugglers will continue to find a way through, lives will be put at risk and taxpayers’ money will be wasted.”
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money → say → risk
The Aporia
