Fears small boat migrants used decoy emergency call to distract Border Force and arrive undetected

Small boat migrants have been accused of using a decoy emergency call to distract Border Force agents and arrive in Dover undetected.

Fears surrounding unheeded illegal arrivals have skyrocketed this week as several boats have ducked authorities.

Fishermen, who claimed to be near an inflatable dinghy carrying 30 migrants, said they dialled 999 and said they were sinking.

However, they failed to offer up their location to the border authorities.

As a result, the alleged decoy call could have distracted the officials while the migrant-laden boat reached Samphire Hoe in Kent on Tuesday.

Around 9.38am on Tuesday, French authorities raised the alarm over a "sinking migrant boat" but no location was disclosed at the time, The Telegraph reported.

They sent a signal to nearby ships to kickstart a search and rescue operation across the Channel - but to no avail.

Just after midday, the Dover coastguard sent out an alert and said the emergency operation had ended.

They told ships in operation: "Sinking vessel. Report of a sinking vessel in the Dover strait. All persons confirmed ashore, safe and well. No further assistance required."

Shabana Mahmood's Border Security Command arrested 21 illegal arrivals while the remainder are believed to have gone unrecorded.

Another dinghy is said to have gone undetected on Monday when a boat with five migrants reached a beach near Folkestone. After landing, all five were arrested by border control officers.

Earlier this week, Ms Mahmood ordered the command to launch a review after the series of undetected illegal Channel crossings.

BRITAIN'S BORDERS CRISIS - READ THE LATEST:

• Andy Burnham blames Brexit for migrant crossings as Britain sees record day for arrivals
• ‘Britain is still being invaded!’ Zia Yusuf tells PM to tackle small boats ‘before it's too late’
• Illegal migrants who have arrived under Labour now outnumber entire British Army

The Home Secretary, said "even one” uncontrolled landing is "one too many", adding it was "not acceptable" small boats were crossing without being detected.

GB News initially understood a third undetected crossing took place at around 9pm last night. The claim was previously denied by the Home Office.

Thousands of migrants crossing the Channel are usually brought to shore by Border Security Command or RNLI boats.

Before Monday, no small boat arrivals to the UK coast without an escort had been officially recorded since September 6 2025.

Undetected landings are so rare that last year’s incident was the only other one recorded since the Home Office began keeping data in 2023.

Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp branded the landings a "free for all" and lambasted Labour for having "no idea" who was entering Britain.

"The only way to stop Channel crossings is to deport anyone who arrives illegally to their home country or a safe third country," he added.

GB News has approached the Home Office for comment.