Hastings and Eastbourne RNLI lifeboats called to scene of small boat off Sussex coast
Lifeboats from Hastings and Eastbourne have been launched to help a migrant boat in the Channel.
The RNLI and the Coastguard confirmed the lifeboats were sent as part of an operation on Tuesday morning (September 22).
A Maritime and Coastguard Agency spokesperson said: “HM Coastguard is responding to a report of a small boat in the Channel, south of the UK central south coast.
“Rescue vessels have been sent, supported by an HM Coastguard aeroplane, to collect the people and safely transfer them to UK Border Force.”
A spokesperson for the RNLI said: “Two RNLI lifeboats have been tasked to an incident by HM Coastguard. The incident is still ongoing.
“We can confirm the two lifeboats are from Hastings and Eastbourne RNLI lifeboat stations.”
According to the RNLI’s call-out tracker, Eastbourne RNLI was called out at 11.09am and Hastings, at 11.11am.
The boat initially departed from the Normandy coast near Vierville-sur-Mer, France, early on Monday morning (September 21), it added..
It spent more than 24 hours at sea crossing the Channel before reaching the UK boundary line, which triggered the UK rescue response.