Rescue teams from two East Sussex coastal towns have been mobilised following reports of an vessel carrying migrants approaching the Sussex coastline.
A local councillor in Portsmouth indicated that the craft might make landfall in the county.
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency confirmed that emergency services were responding to reports of a small boat in the Channel, located south of England’s central southern coastline.
Support vessels and an aircraft were despatched to intercept the vessel and escort those aboard to Border Force personnel.
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution confirmed that lifeboats from Hastings and Eastbourne had been assigned to the operation by coastguard authorities.
Officials stated that the situation remained active at the time of reporting.
An activist based in Hampshire announced intentions to meet a migrant vessel in the Channel, conducting real-time broadcasts of his observations via an online video platform.
According to his account, the boats were proceeding toward Gosport in Hampshire, where those aboard were being transferred from a lifeboat to a government maritime security vessel.
He reported the presence of Border Force officers on the vessel.
Government representatives stated that the Border Security Command maintains continuous operations to safeguard national borders and pledged continued detention, screening, and processing protocols for all arrivals by small boat.
Should those aboard reach the United Kingdom, standard processing procedures would be conducted in Kent.
Both lifeboats were navigating toward the government security ship, with police forces positioned in Gosport.
The activist, identified as Daniel Thomas, aged 37, founded the Patriot Platform campaign group and holds anti-migration views.
Satellite tracking data reviewed by journalists indicated that one of the lifeboats had docked at Sovereign Harbour in Eastbourne.
Footage from the activist’s broadcast appeared to depict him puncturing an inflatable dinghy after occupants had been rescued by lifeboat crews.
The constituency’s Conservative Member of Parliament issued a statement confirming that the vessel would not be disembarking in Gosport.
Dame Caroline Dinenage reported receiving confirmation that Border Force had intercepted the boat and was transporting those aboard to Dover by sea.
She expressed satisfaction with this outcome, noting that she had lobbied the Home Office throughout the day to prevent a landing at the location.
The MP stated that she, the council leader, and the Police and Crime Commissioner had maintained consistent opposition to Gosport and Portsmouth Harbour serving as arrival points for small boat crossings.
Following a previous meeting with the Borders Minister, she had formally requested that intercepted vessels be directed to Dover rather than Portsmouth Harbour.
She acknowledged disappointment at learning of potential plans to bring a vessel into the harbour and noted that her written communication to the Home Secretary remained unanswered.
Dame Caroline expressed approval that Border Force would take the current boat to Dover as requested, stating that this approach should establish a precedent for handling future interceptions in that section of the Channel.
The RNLI issued a formal statement confirming that two of its lifeboats had been tasked by HM Coastguard to respond to a small boat crossing incident.