They reported live from Dover as the boats made their way.
Eamonn Homes and Ellie Costello halted GB News for a breaking migrant update (Image: GB News)
GB News Breakfast was halted to bring an urgent update from Dover, where a surge of small boats is trying to enter the country as the ongoing migrant crisis deepens. Presenters Eamonn Holmes and Ellie Costello cut to reporter Mark White, who was reporting from the coastal location. He explained the situation was due to a “weather window” as he detailed how there are currently several hundred people attempting to make it to the UK.
“It’s really less than 12 hours. But the criminal gangs, as we know now, have taken advantage of that, and they have pushed hundreds of small boat migrants out into the English Channel. We can confirm that at least 400 small boat migrants are in the channel as we speak. It may be higher than that. Others are attempting to cross,” he said. “Two boats, we understand, have made it already into UK. A significant response you would expect from multiple Border Force vessels, and now we’re being told the lifeboat service has been called in to assist as well,” he confirmed.
“Dover lifeboat and Walmer lifeboat (are) now in the area, searching for small boat migrants coming into UK waters,” White observed.
He continued: “This follows the very significant surge that we saw just last weekend, after that, 28 days of a lull, when those who support Sir Keir Starmer smash the gangs policy had been suggesting that perhaps those various policies that the government has adopted were making a difference.
“Others had argued it was all down to the weather. And of course, what we saw at the weekend was a break in the weather, 750 crossed – more than 750 over the weekend – taking us past 40,000 arrivals for the year.
“And now today, again, at least 400 out there. I should say that last night, another 74 crossed, and they included more than a dozen women and a child.
GB News Mark White broadcast from Dover as small boats attempted to reach the UK (Image: GB News)
“That has been condemned by maritime security sources who have described the people smuggling gangs as completely reckless, pushing women and children out into these boats in less than ideal conditions in the freezing cold and the driving rain,” White said.
“And this morning, we can also confirm that one small boat was forced to return to France. On board were a pregnant woman and a three-year-old child, who were taken off and taken to the hospital suffering from hypothermia.
“This is a ploy that the criminal gangs use, they put women and children on these boats to ensure that they get a quicker response from the Maritime Rescue Services.
“And of course, they know that the French authorities are much less likely to intervene if there are women and children on the boat,” Whie said.
