Newborn baby among 30 migrants rescued off UK coast

Warm weather and calm seas cause the number of crossings to surge

A coastguard officer carries a tiny baby from a rescue vessel at the British port of Dover on Tuesday morning. PA

A tiny baby dressed in a snowsuit was among at least three children who arrived in the British port of Dover on Tuesday as part of an influx of more than 30 migrants who crossed the Channel on small boats.

The baby, who appeared to be no more than a couple of months old, was wearing a blue snowsuit decorated with pictures of owls as it was carried off a boat by a coastguard officer.

Warmer weather has caused the number of people attempting to cross the English Channel from France to spike in recent days.

Two young boys were also seen among a group of people being brought into port on a coastguard vessel.

A woman was seen carrying a young boy and accompanied by another child as she got off a rescue vessel.

Dozens of migrants made the crossing on Tuesday morning, and the daily tally was expected to increase as the day went on.

Pictures from the scene showed at least 27 male migrants queuing for busses at Dover after being intercepted at sea.

The latest influx came after 213 people on six boats were intercepted or rescued by UK authorities on Monday.

Women huddled in blankets were among the groups seen being brought ashore in Dover.

Since the start of the year, more than 2,700 people have reached the UK after navigating the Channel's busy shipping lanes, according to data compiled by the PA news agency.

That figure is more than three times the number recorded at this time last year.

In 2021 Britain said a record 28,526 migrants entered the country illegally having crossed in small boats from the beaches of northern France.