Migrant mega-dinghy departs historic Utah Beach, reaches Portsmouth amid protests
A 34-ft inflatable carrying about 130 migrants left Utah Beach in Normandy and was rescued off the English coast, where anti-immigration protesters confronted the arrival.
At about 03:30 BST a 34-foot inflatable, reportedly assembled in Germany from Chinese parts, set out from Utah Beach in Normandy with an estimated 130 migrants on board. French patrol boats shadowed the vessel for roughly ten hours and alerted UK authorities, after which two RNLI lifeboats and a rescue helicopter took over the escort. The dinghy was intercepted before reaching open sea and the passengers were transferred to the lifeboats, receiving lifejackets where needed.
When the craft arrived at Eastney Landing near Portsmouth, the anti-immigration group Patriot Platform, led by Danny Tommo, staged a protest that blocked the sole access road, prompting a police standoff that lasted until early Monday. The migrants were eventually moved by coach to an asylum centre in Kent. Officials say the successful crossing demonstrates smugglers’ move toward longer, riskier routes from Normandy as French enforcement tightens around Calais and Dunkirk.
Why it matters
The event shows smugglers shifting to longer Channel routes, raising security and humanitarian challenges for both France and the UK.
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