A boat carrying 51 migrants reached Dover on Wednesday after spending about 36 hours crossing the English Channel, while six people were arrested during protests linked to the expected arrival of the group.
The dinghy left the Normandy coast in northern France on Monday. French coastguard authorities monitored the vessel during its journey and said those on board appeared determined to continue towards the UK despite the risks.
The RNLI was asked by the UK coastguard to assist the boat after concerns were raised about the safety and deteriorating health of people on board.
By the time RNLI vessels reached the dinghy, the group had reportedly been at sea for approximately 36 hours. The migrants were transferred to a UK Border Force vessel before being taken towards Dover.
The boat had initially been expected to arrive in Gosport, Hampshire, prompting hundreds of people to gather at a local marina to protest against the planned arrival.
Local MP Dame Caroline Dinenage said she had been told by the Home Office that Gosport was increasingly likely to be the destination.
Some protesters gathered wearing black clothing, with several covering their faces, while chants calling for the migrants to be sent back were heard.
Hampshire Police said six people were arrested after some protesters became hostile towards officers.
Two men from Salisbury, aged 19 and 36, were arrested on suspicion of aggravated trespass. A 67-year-old man from Gosport was arrested on suspicion of careless driving and assaulting an emergency worker.
A 32-year-old woman, a 31-year-old woman and a 33-year-old man, all from Gosport, were arrested on suspicion of assaulting an emergency worker.
Police also said they were investigating a video showing alleged damage to a boat in the English Channel.
The anti-migration group Patriot Platform was also linked to the demonstrations. Its founder, Daniel Thomas, also known as Danny Tommo, had previously organised protests in Portsmouth and Dover this month.
Thomas had also shared a livestream from a vessel at sea before the latest migrant boat reached the UK.
The migrants eventually arrived in Dover on Wednesday morning, where they were photographed leaving the Border Force vessel with their belongings. Police closed off a nearby road as a smaller group of protesters gathered in the area.
The journey was unusual because the boat is believed to have departed from near Vierville-sur-Mer, west of Bayeux in Normandy. Departures from that part of the French coast are less common because they require migrants to travel a longer distance across the Channel.
The RNLI said its crews responded after being asked by UK authorities to help protect the people aboard the dinghy.
The latest arrival comes amid continued attempts by migrants to cross the Channel in small boats.
On Wednesday, another group was photographed preparing to cross from the French coast near Hardelot.
Earlier this month, another migrant boat travelled from the Cherbourg area before being assisted by lifeboats from the Isle of Wight. Its arrival prompted protests in Portsmouth and was described by officials at the time as an unusual journey rather than evidence of a new crossing route.
The latest incident also follows the arrival of another migrant boat on the Kent coast near Folkestone on Monday without being intercepted. Five people were detained following that incident, and the Home Office said an investigation had been opened.
Around 17,480 migrants have crossed the English Channel in small boats so far in 2026, according to the latest figures cited in the report. That’s about 46% lower than at the same point in 2025.
The UK government says its Border Security Command continues to monitor small-boat crossings and process arrivals.