Channel migrants: Border Force intercepts boat carrying 27 people

A Border Force cutter and a coastal patrol vessel were deployed

A boat carrying 27 people has been intercepted off the coast near Dover.

Border Force was alerted to a small boat travelling across the English Channel towards the coast at about 04:30 BST.

The Home Office said 26 men and one woman from Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan were on board.

They were taken to Dover by the Border Force boats where they were medically assessed and transferred to immigration officials.

At least 929 people, including about 86 children, have crossed the Channel in small boats since 3 November 2018.

A note on terminology: The BBC uses the term migrant to refer to all people on the move who have yet to complete the legal process of claiming asylum. This group includes people fleeing war-torn countries, who are likely to be granted refugee status, as well as people who are seeking jobs and better lives, who governments are likely to rule are economic migrants.