A WOMAN has died after a small boat rescue operation in the English Channel.
It sparked an urgent response from the Border Force with lifeboats dispatched in a bid to save her.
In a statement, Kent Police said it was “made aware by the Coastguard of an incident in the channel involving a small boat just after 1pm” near Dover, Kent.
The woman was airlifted back to shore but was sadly pronounced dead, said cops.
Kent Police said they are conducing enquiries to establish the “circumstances surrounding the incident”.
The RNLI confirmed it was responding to “incidents in the Channel”.
A spokesperson said: “RNLI lifeboats have been tasked by HM Coastguard to incidents in the Channel today.”
Two of its vessels were seen on a marine tracker heading to the rescue site, around 10 minutes from the coast.
A group of people thought to be migrants have since been pictured being brought in to the Border Force compound in Dover, Kent, from one of its vessels.
More than 30,000 people have crossed the Channel in small boats already this year.
It comes as new Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood took up her role just as the biggest illegal migrant influx since May surged into Britain.
A total of 1,097 arrived on small boats on Saturday, pushing the number this year past the 30,000 mark.
It is the earliest point in a calendar year at which the milestone has been passed since data on Channel crossings was first reported in 2018.
Last year, the figure was not passed until October 30 and in 2023 it was never reached as crossings totalled 29,437 for the whole year.
In 2022, the number was reached on September 21.
More arrived in Kent on Monday, with some being ushered into vans in what appeared to be the new returns agreement with France in action.
Last night, Ms Mahmood claimed the first deportations were imminent.
She said: “These small boats crossings are utterly unacceptable and the vile people-smugglers behind them are wreaking havoc on our borders.
“Thanks to our deal with France, people crossing in small boats can now be detained and removed to France and I expect the first returns to take place imminently.”
Sir Keir Starmer promoted tough-talking ex-barrister Ms Mahmood as part of a big reshuffle to try to stop the dinghies and blunt Nigel Farage’s Reform.
But the new proposals were rubbished this week as falling far short of what was needed.
Defence Secretary John Healey confirmed the latest effort involved military planners being seconded to the Home Office.
Migrants in asylum hotels could also be moved into barracks on former military bases — such as RAF Wethersfield in Essex — under plans expected to be unveiled in weeks.
Gary StoneIllegal migrants arrive into The Port of Dover, Kent this afternoon[/caption] Published: [#item_custom_pubDate]
