Up to five migrants are understood to be in police care after a dinghy was found on the Kent coast.
The empty inflatable boat was found on a beach in Dungeness at 8.10am on Monday, prompting an extensive search of the Channel by the coastguard.
Search teams were stood down when it became clear there were no maritime casualties. According to the Press Association, five migrants were found.
The Border Force has not commented on the incident, but a spokesman for the Maritime and Coastguard Agency said: “HM Coastguard has been coordinating a search at Dungeness in Kent after an empty RHIB (rigid-hulled inflatable boat) was found on the shore.
The spokesman added the coastguard is “only concerned with preservation of life, rescuing those in trouble and bringing them safely back to shore, where they will be handed over to the relevant partner emergency services or authorities”.
It comes after Sajid Javid declared the number of migrants trying to cross the Channel a “major incident” and announced extra measures including a Royal Navy vessel, to deter future crossings.
HMS Mersey was sent to patrol the channel from Friday but there was said to be an ongoing dispute over who would foot the bill. © PA Vehicles said to be holding two of five migrants found in Kent
Of the 504 migrants seeking to cross the Channel in 2018, 276 managed to get to British waters and coasts and 228 were intercepted by French authorities.