Migrant boat with personal belongings left on Hastings beach days after coming ashore

A boat used by migrants that landed ashore in Hastings on Monday (September 6) has been spotted abandoned on the beach.
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The red vessel with personal belongings was seen on the beach near the lifeboat station.

On Monday, a spokesman for Sussex Police said officers were called by the coastguard shortly after 2pm on that day to provide assistance as part of a multi-agency operation off the coast of Hastings, with reports of vessels crossing the Channel towards the Kent and Sussex coast.

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Hastings RNLI and the coastguard helicopter were sent out and a group of people were brought ashore at Hastings just after 3pm, the police spokesman said.

The abandoned boat on Hastings beach SUS-210809-100508001The abandoned boat on Hastings beach SUS-210809-100508001
The abandoned boat on Hastings beach SUS-210809-100508001

The Home Office said there were a number of small boat crossings across the Channel on Monday.

A spokesman said UK authorities had to rescue or intercept 785 people as part of 27 events and that the French intercepted 14 crossings preventing 378 people from reaching the UK.

The Home Office added that yesterday (Tuesday, September 7) that UK authorities had to rescue or intercept under 500 people.

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Dan O’Mahoney, Clandestine Channel Threat Commander, said: “This unacceptable rise in dangerous crossings is being driven by criminal gangs and a surge in illegal migration across Europe.

The abandoned boat on Hastings beach SUS-210809-100543001The abandoned boat on Hastings beach SUS-210809-100543001
The abandoned boat on Hastings beach SUS-210809-100543001

“We’re determined to target the criminals at every level, so far, we have secured nearly 300 arrests, 65 convictions and prevented more than 10,000 migrant attempts.”

“But there is more to do. The Government’s New Plan for Immigration is the only credible way to fix the broken asylum system, breaking the business model of criminal gangs and welcoming people through safe and legal routes.”