It is thought they may have been helped by other people amid reports the dinghy was dropped from a yacht which had already sailed some of the journey between France and England.
The two men from Pakistan had to be rescued by lifeboat crew as they drifted across some of the world's busiest shipping lanes, threatened with being run over by heavy cargo tankers and ferries.
Inflatable dinghy: The two men from Pakistan had
to be rescued by lifeboat crew as they drifted across some of the
world's busiest shipping lanes, threatened with being run over by heavy
cargo tankers and ferries
They were picked up around half a mile off the coast of Walmer, near Dover, Kent, shortly after 3pm yesterday.
Pictures showed one of the men, dressed in a white T-shirt, already taken to safety on the RNLI crew's Rib (rigid inflatable boat) and the other still in the tiny blue dinghy, about to be rescued.
The one still in the dinghy, wearing a tracksuit, was pictured stretching out a flimsy plastic blue and yellow paddle to the lifeboat crew so they could drag him towards them and lift him out to safety.
Another picture showed a yacht, described as a ketch, in close vicinity of where the rescue happened.
A man, dressed in a dark-coloured jacket and hoodie top, could clearly be seen standing on the top deck of the vessel as it appeared to make off.
It was allegedly involved in helping the suspected immigrants across the English Channel. The pictures and video were taken by staff of the Dover Sea Safari which runs sea trips in the area.
James Salmon, 42, a skipper with Dover Sea Safari, was on board a boat full of 12 passengers when he heard cries for help.
Caught on camera: The pictures and video were taken by staff of the Dover Sea Safari which runs sea trips in the area
Helped: Pictures showed one of the men, dressed
in a white T-shirt, already taken to safety on the RNLI crew's Rib
(rigid inflatable boat) and the other still in the tiny blue dinghy,
being rescued
Response: The two men were taken to Dover by the Walmer RNLI crew where they were handed over to Border Force staff
He said: ‘It was about 3.15pm and we were heading back from Deal towards Dover when we spotted two guys waving their paddles and shouting for help. They were about half a mile from shore.
‘They knew how to say “help” but that's all they really said. We approached them and noticed they were of foreign origin so we radioed Dover Coastguard and were asked to make sure they were safe and well.
'We spotted two guys waving their paddles and shouting for help... They knew how to say "help" but that's all they really said'
James Salmon, Dover Sea Safari
James Salmon, Dover Sea Safari
‘A lifeboat arrived about five minutes later and brought them back to shore.’
Mr Salmon then noticed a yacht which appeared to have dropped the two suspected illegal immigrants into the dinghy a few miles from shore. He reported it to the coastguard.
He added: ‘The inflatable was tiny, like a two-man boat. We were astonished. They appeared to have travelled by yacht up to a couple of miles from shore and then they must have been dropped off and paddled from there.
‘This seems to be the new way of doing it. They were absolutely desperate to get across the Channel but it's the busiest shipping lane in the world and their lives were in danger.’
The two men were taken to Dover by the Walmer RNLI crew where they were handed over to Border Force staff.
Off the Kent coast: It is thought they may have
been helped by other people amid reports the dinghy was dropped from a
yacht which had already sailed some of the journey between France and
England
Location: The incident happened off the coast of
Walmer (file picture). The two men were taken to Dover by the Walmer
RNLI crew where they were handed over to Border Force staff
It is understood they were claiming asylum and were due to be taken to a deportation centre pending assessment of their claim.
Immigrants gathered in Calais are becoming increasingly desperate to cross the Channel to England to claim asylum.
'This
seems to be the new way of doing it. They were absolutely desperate to
get across the Channel but it's the busiest shipping lane in the world
and their lives were in danger'
James Salmon, Dover Sea Safari
James Salmon, Dover Sea Safari
It follows a crackdown by authorities in Calais who are clearing unofficial immigrant camps in the town.
Last Saturday eight Afghan immigrants had to be rescued around five miles off the port of Dover in the Channel when their RIB's motor broke down after running out of fuel.
The alarm was raised by the captain of a passing P&O ferry which could have run them over. They were rescued from the choppy seas by Dover Lifeboat workers.
Romanian Marian Badea, 29, a ninth man who was in the boat with them, was charged with attempted facilitation. He has been remanded in custody and is due to appear at Folkestone Magistrates’ Court next week.
The eight Afghan nationals who were detained following the rescue are to be deported, said a spokesman for the Border Force.
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