Ten people have been arrested after a small powerboat carrying migrants arrived on the scenic Cornwall coastline, according to the Home Office.
Devon and Cornwall Police were alerted at approximately 3am yesterday, after reports that several people had disembarked from a boat at Mylor Harbour, before getting into a van and leaving the area.
Police officers attended the scene and arrested two Albanian nationals on suspicion of immigration offences, Devon and Cornwall Police said.
HM Coastguard also responded to the incident, with Falmouth’s Inshore lifeboat crew deployed as a precaution at around 4am.
A Home Office spokesman said the incident was an “isolated and rare” occurrence, and confirmed that 10 people had been arrested.
One further person, believed to be under the age of 18, was referred to social services.
The spokesman said: “There is an ongoing investigation, and it would be inappropriate to comment further.”
The Home Office said clandestine arrivals of this kind are uncommon in this region, adding that the vessel involved was a small powerboat carrying a limited number of people.
Devon and Cornwall Police were alerted at approximately 3am yesterday, after reports that several people had disembarked from a boat at Mylor Harbour | GOOGLE MAPS
The investigation has since been taken over by Criminal and Financial Investigations Wales and South West.
According to local media reports, further arrests are believed to have been made outside the Devon and Cornwall force area. A van is also thought to have been recovered.
However, details of those arrests and the wider circumstances surrounding the investigation are being handled by Immigration Enforcement.
Several local sources reported that 20 individuals were onboard a 33ft yacht, and that 18 entered a van and left the area.
A search and rescue helicopter was later reported flying over the area at around 5.20am as the emergency response continued.
It is unknown where the boat launched from, however if it originated from France, it would make it the furthest-west landing point on record, with prior migrant boat crossings failing to pass Portsmouth.
Most crossings come into Dover, and the Kent coast, with recent boats crossing the Channel docking as far west as Portsmouth and Southampton.
Last week there were two uncontrolled landings on UK beaches, where migrant boats arrived without being intercepted by authorities.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood ordered an urgent review by the Border Security Command.