Manhunt underway for suspected migrants who landed on Devon beach by speedboat

Manhunt underway for suspected migrants who landed on Devon beach by speedboat
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Mark White

By Mark White


Published: 15/06/2022

- 11:59

Updated: 14/02/2023

- 11:00

This comes after 444 migrants crossed the Channel yesterday

A manhunt is underway to find around a dozen suspected migrants, who were landed on a Devon beach and have run off.

GB News can confirm that the Coastguard received reports this morning that a speed boat had landed 12 young men on Slapton Sands, around 30 miles from Plymouth.


Authorities rushed to the beach, but the party had reportedly disappeared in two vehicles, which were waiting to pick them up.

The speedboat has headed back out to sea. A search is currently underway to determine the whereabouts of that vessel.

The spot where the migrants were landed is about 300 miles west of where small boats would normally head for around the Kent coast.

BEST QUALITY AVAILABLE A small boat used by a group of people thought to be migrants is brought in to Dover, Kent, following a small boat incident in the Channel. Picture date: Wednesday June 15, 2022.
A separate boat arriving in Kent
Katie Boyden

A statement from the Coastguard said: "We were tasked by Falmouth Coastguard Control Room to attend Slapton Sands, the Strete Gate end, to reports that a speed boat had dropped off around 12 young males onto the beach.

"There were 2 men waiting for them, who quickly took them to the car park area where it is believed that they left in two cars.

"The speedboat made off in the direction it came from at speed.

"On our arrival there was no trace of the men, boat or the vehicles, enquiries revealed, as this had occurred around 6 am.

"South Devon & SE Cornwall Coastguard role in matters like this is one of purely safety."

Authorities are understood to be investigating whether the men were dropped off by a people smuggling gang.

The coastguard has urged anyone who sees anything suspicious to dial 999.

The Ministry of Defence has confirmed that yesterday 444 people were taken ashore after being found on 11 small boats in the English Channel.

Today, Border Force, the Royal Navy and RNLI lifeboats are responding so several sightings of small boats in the Channel.

So far, around 50 people have been taken to the Border Force processing centre in Dover.

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