Migrant dinghy heading towards UK after being at sea for around 23 hours

A migrant vessel is heading towards the UK after spending close to 23 hours at sea.

A French coastguard vessel has been shadowing the boat since it left the Normandy coast on Monday, with officials responding at around 6.30pm, according to Sky's OSINT Producer Freya Gibson and ship-tracking website MarineTraffic.

The dinghy was understood to have approached the Channel boundary line according to ship-tracking data, and appears to have set off close to the village of Vierville-sur-Mer, west of Bayeux.

Sky News understands that the migrants were taken on board two RNLI vessels before being transferred to HMC Vigilant, a border control vessel.

Authorities say departures as far west as Normandy are rare.

Earlier this month, a dinghy had to be met by lifeboats from the Isle of Wight, having set off from the Cherbourg area, triggering angry protests in Portsmouth.

It is thought to have made one of the longest journeys of any small boat in the Channel.

Officials said at the time they believed it was a one-off rather than a sign of new tactics.

The UK's Maritime and Coastguard Agency said the migrants will be transferred to Border Security Command.

Two RNLI lifeboats are believed to be on their way to meet the dinghy.

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Daniel Thomas, also known as Danny Tommo, the founder of the far-right anti-migration group Patriot Platform, which protested in Portsmouth and Dover this month, shared a YouTube livestream where he showed the boat from the sea.

A Maritime and Coastguard Agency spokesperson said: "HM Coastguard is responding to a report of a small boat in the Channel, south of the UK central south coast.

"Rescue vessels have been sent, supported by an HM Coastguard aeroplane, to collect the people and safely transfer them to UK Border Force."

A government spokesperson said of the latest arrival: "The Border Security Command works around the clock to protect our border and will continue to detain, check and process every small boat arrival."

It comes after five people were detained and passed to Border Security Command after a migrant boat reached the Kent coast without being intercepted.

The dinghy made it to shore at Folkestone on Monday morning. The Home Office said an investigation has been launched.

Around 17,480 migrants have arrived after crossing the Channel by boat so far this year. The total so far for 2026 is down 46% on the same point last year.

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(c) Sky News 2026: Migrant dinghy heading towards UK after being at sea for around 23 hours