THERE is an action plan in place after a series boats containing migrants were intercepted as they attempted to cross the English Channel yesterday.

Two vessels reached Winchelsea Beach near Rye yesterday morning and several of the passengers, possibly a family with children, are believed to have escaped as immigration officials swooped in.

A remaining group of adults and children were transferred to immigration officials.

A Home Office spokesman said: “Crossing the Channel in a small boat is a huge risk.

“The criminal gangs who perpetuate this are ruthless and do not care about loss of life.

“We have three Border Force cutters in the Channel and a joint action plan with France in place, including a coordination centre in Calais which assists with preventing illegal attempts to cross the border.

“Since January we have returned more than 65 people who arrived illegally in small boats to Europe.

“We continue to monitor the ongoing situation and are working closely at all levels with French authorities on the issue.

“The Home Secretary will raise this issue with her French counterpart in the coming days.”

A total of 26 men and women were detained yesterday from three further boats stopped in the Channel.

Most of these presented themselves as Iranian nationals, with others presenting as nationals of Guinea, Kuwait and Ivory Coast.

These individuals are currently being medically assessed before being transferred to immigration officials to be interviewed.

A spokeswoman for the Maritime and Coastguard Agency said: “HM Coastguard has been assisting Border Force with a number of incidents off the Kent and Sussex coast across the morning.

“Rye lifeboats, a HM Coastguard search and rescue helicopter from Lydd and a number of Border Force vessels were sent.

“Sussex Police are also on the scene along with Border Force.

“We are committed to safeguarding life around the seas and coastal areas of this country. HM Coastguard is only concerned with preservation of life, rescuing those in trouble and bringing them safely back to shore, where they will be handed over to the relevant partner emergency services or authorities.”

These incidents bring the total number of people trying to reach Britain in 2019 to more than 800.

The perilous journey across the Channel involves negotiating the Dover Strait, the world’s busiest shipping lane which sees more than 500 ships a day pass through it.

On August 9 an Iranian woman fell from a boat as she attempted the crossing. She is missing and presumed drowned after a search was called off the following day.

Following this Charlie Elphicke, Conservative MP for Dover and Deal, said: “The only way to bring the migrant crisis to an end is for traffickers and migrants alike to know the crossings won’t succeed.

“That means 24/7 surveillance of the French coast – including investment in the long-range thermal imaging cameras used elsewhere in the world – so that any boats are spotted, intercepted and returned safely back to France.”

Sussex Police say they are concerned for the safety and welfare of the missing boat passengers believed to have escaped at Winchelsea Beach.

Chief Inspector Anita Turner said: “We want to make sure that these people are safely ashore and that they are okay.

“If you do come across them, please call us on 999 immediately quoting serial 462 of 22/08.”