An investigation has begun into whether a migrant boat reached the Kent coast without being intercepted by the Border Force.
The incident allegedly occurred on Saturday. It would mark the first time this has happened since December 2022.
Nearly 100,000 people have made the perilous Channel crossing since that date. More than 1,000 migrants were recorded arriving on Saturday alone.
Police said five people were detained in a village north of Dover and passed to immigration authorities on Saturday, a day when more than 1,000 people were recorded to have arrived in the UK by small boat.
A Kent Police spokeswoman said: “At 7.50pm on Saturday September 6, Kent Police was called to a report of suspected migrants near Kingsdown, Deal.
“Patrols attended and five people were detained and passed to Border Force officers.”
Sources used: "PA Media" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
