Nine Iraqi migrants intercepted off Devon coast and detained

Nine Iraqi migrants brought to shore after getting into trouble in a boat off Torbay are being dealt with "according to immigration rules", the Home Office has confirmed. A small yacht carrying the group was towed into Brixham by the RNLI lifeboat.

It was confirmed that those on board were all Iraqi nationals. They were taken into custody and their status is currently being investigated.

Witnesses reported seeing a large police and border force presence as the yacht was brought to shore. The ambulance service and HM Coastguard were also present.

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The Home confirmed those onboard were taken into custody and their cases will be dealt with. A spokesperson said: “We all want to see an end to dangerous small boat crossings, which undermine our border security and put lives at risk.

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“As we have seen with so many recent devastating tragedies in the Channel, the people-smuggling gangs do not care if the vulnerable people they exploit live or die, as long as they pay. We will stop at nothing to dismantle their business models and bring them to justice

“We are making progress, bolstering our personnel numbers in the UK and abroad. Our new Border Security Command will strengthen our global partnerships and enhance our efforts to investigate, arrest, and prosecute these evil criminals.”

It has been reported that those on board the vessel included a mix of adults and children. Devon and Cornwall Police attended at 5:40am on September 17. They have confirmed the matter is now in the hands of the Home Office.

The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Seas creates an obligation to rescue anyone in danger at sea. Usually they'll be landed at the nearest safe port.

In September, the Home Secretary held a summit with ministers and law enforcement to address the “moral imperative” of dismantling smuggling gangs profiting from small boat crossings. It focused on disrupting such operations and increasing cooperation with European agencies such as Europol.

More than 12,000 people made the journey by small boat in the first part of 2024. According to the Migration Observatory 93 per cent of people arriving in small boats across the Channel from 2018 to March 2024 claimed asylum. About three quarters were successful.