THIRD migrant boat 'reaches British waters undetected' despite Home Secretary's 'urgent' review

A third migrant boat has reached Britain's waters undetected overnight, GB News believes, despite the Home Secretary's pledge to launch an urgent review into the new trend.

Shabana Mahmood told Border Security Command to launch the review after the illegal arrivals at Samphire Hoe, between Dover and Folkestone, on Tuesday, and near Folkestone on Monday.

In total, 21 people were detained on Tuesday after the arrival at Samphire Hoe, with five detained on Monday.

The Home Secretary described the situation as "not acceptable".

The 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.

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.

This week's trio of undetected crossings has raised concern among security and border experts.

Tony Smith, a former director general of Border Force, told The Telegraph: "To avoid our controls altogether does worry me as it poses a much greater security risk than the ones we are picking up in the Channel.

"It may be that they are criminals. They may be people previously deported from the UK. If they were picked up on a small boat as normal, they would likely be detained or prosecuted if they were returnees or wanted.

"It is definitely a different business model [from the people smuggling gangs] to the one we are used to."

More to follow...