Moment desperate migrants use designer Nike trainers to bail out their sinking dinghy as it crosses the Channel
Shocking footage captured on a small boat crossing the canal shows it sinking with migrants using designer Nike sneakers in a desperate bid to evacuate.
Around 500 migrants are making the journey today, and Border Force is sending all five of its ships to manage the crossings.
Several ‘superboats’ were launched from northern France today, with some arriving in Dover by 9.30am.
Exclusive footage obtained by the Daily Mail shows the ‘complete chaos’ of a boat heading to the UK this morning.
It consists of men, women and children, and their leaders on the boat shout ‘sit, sit’ as the full boat gets harder.
Migrants pass their orange Nike sneakers around the boat to remove water from the bottom of the boat.
Some of the migrants are wearing life jackets and are stuck to the ground, hanging over the edge of the packed boat.
In other images taken throughout the night, migrants are also seen boarding a small boat.
Migrants pass orange Nike sneakers around the boat to remove water from the bottom of the boat
Exclusive footage obtained by the Daily Mail shows ‘complete chaos’ on a UK-bound boat this morning
It coincides with an already ‘extremely busy’ day with clear and calm waters.
Sources say that thousands of people are expected to cross before Christmas, and tomorrow and Monday are expected to be busy days for crossings.
A source said: ‘The boat is dangerously close to sinking. Migrants use trainers to remove water from passing boats.
‘They are ordered to sit down and it is clear that things are getting heated on the boat.
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Picture: A group of migrants are brought into the Border Force compound in Dover, Kent, today.
Picture: Immigrants arriving in Dover. Sources say tomorrow and Monday are also expected to be busy days for crossings, with thousands more expected before Christmas.
‘This shows how ruthless smugglers are and how they will stop at nothing to make a profit when a window opens for passage.’
Another Dover-based source said: ‘All Border Force ships departed this morning to assist with the situation of the migrants. It’s already an extremely busy day.
‘There is chaos outside. There are at least 500 people traveling on several super boats.
‘Sunday and Monday also look very calm and clear. It’s going to be so manic.’
