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Nearly 100 migrants rescued after boat breaks down in Channel

Some 250 people arrived in the UK in three boats on Monday, according to Home Office figures.

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A group of people thought to be migrants are brought in to the Border Security Command compound in Dover
A group of people thought to be migrants are brought in to the Border Security Command compound in Dover. Picture: Alamy

By Ella Bennett

Nearly 100 migrants have been rescued after their inflatable dinghy broke down in the English Channel.

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The boat suffered engine failure shortly after leaving the French coast on Monday morning.

In total, 96 people were rescued and taken to the port of Boulogne-sur-Mer, French authorities said.

As the boat departed Le Touquet beach, around 30 people were left in the water, including some who were in serious difficulty in the currents, rescuers said.

Four people were pulled from the water by helicopter and another six by lifeboat.

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A group of people thought to be migrants are brought in to the Border Security Command compound in Dover
A group of people thought to be migrants are brought in to the Border Security Command compound in Dover. Picture: Alamy

Migrants from another boat were pictured arriving at the Border Security Command compound in Dover, Kent, later on Monday.

Some 250 people arrived in three boats on Monday, according to Home Office figures.

Last week, Prime Minister Andy Burnham promised to “change our tactics” to tackle the gangs bringing migrants across the English Channel, after a record 230 people made the journey in a single boat.

The Prime Minister also said the Government would be “relentless” in chasing down the gangs who are facilitating the dangerous crossings.

The gangs appear to have begun loading more people into single boats in recent weeks.

The inflatable boat was “buckling” in the water and could have led to a tragedy, French rescuers warned.

Asked about the 15m-long (around 50ft) dinghy the following day, the Prime Minister said: “I know people will have been worried to see that image yesterday.

“It shows that the gangs are changing their tactics, but so will we – we will now change our tactics and we will be relentless in chasing them down.

“I said that when I visited Dover just over a week ago and I meant it.

“And I was there to change the conversation.”

Mr Burnham has said the Government “will keep going at this issue” until small boat crossings are stopped, but did not commit to a timeline.

He added: “I’d rather promise to people what I know I can do and what I know I can deliver, and that is a relentless focus on this issue to deal with the public concern.”

Elsewhere in the interview, the Prime Minister suggested more affluent areas of the UK will have to house asylum seekers, as well as poorer ones.