Nine Iraqis held after yacht rescue off Devon

The yacht which had got into difficulties off Berry Head was brought into Brixham

A stricken yacht carrying nine Iraqi nationals was towed into Brixham harbour, the Home Office has confirmed.

The small boat, which got into difficulties off Berry Head, was brought into the south Devon harbour early on 17 September by a Torbay lifeboat crew, said the RNLI.

The Home Office said nine people on the boat were Iraqi nationals and they were taken into custody.

A spokesperson said that their cases would be "dealt with according to immigration rules".

"We all want to see an end to dangerous small boat crossings, which undermine our border security and put lives at risk," said the spokesperson.

"As we have seen with so many recent devastating tragedies in the Channel, the people-smuggling gangs do not care if the vulnerable people they exploit live or die, as long as they pay.

"We will stop at nothing to dismantle their business models and bring them to justice.

"We are making progress, bolstering our personnel numbers in the UK and abroad.

"Our new Border Security Command will strengthen our global partnerships and enhance our efforts to investigate, arrest, and prosecute these evil criminals."