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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/sep/01/asylum-seekers-rescued-off-dover-coast-by-fishermen
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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
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| Asylum seekers rescued off Dover coast by fishermen | Asylum seekers rescued off Dover coast by fishermen |
| (5 months later) | |
| The captain of a charter fishing boat has told how he rescued four asylum seekers when their inflatable dinghy got into trouble off the coast of Dover. | The captain of a charter fishing boat has told how he rescued four asylum seekers when their inflatable dinghy got into trouble off the coast of Dover. |
| Matt Coker, 37, said he spotted the small boat, which was half full of water, three miles off the Goodwin Sands in Kent as he took a group out on a day trip at about 10.30am on Saturday. | Matt Coker, 37, said he spotted the small boat, which was half full of water, three miles off the Goodwin Sands in Kent as he took a group out on a day trip at about 10.30am on Saturday. |
| The three distressed men and one woman on board tied a red T-shirt to an oar as they tried to attract his attention before making a leap for the bigger vessel, he said. | The three distressed men and one woman on board tied a red T-shirt to an oar as they tried to attract his attention before making a leap for the bigger vessel, he said. |
| The Royal Charlotte skipper told how his fishing party pulled them aboard and administered first aid before calling the Coastguard. | The Royal Charlotte skipper told how his fishing party pulled them aboard and administered first aid before calling the Coastguard. |
| “We were on our way out on a fishing trip and we noticed a small, tiny dinghy on the horizon and I tried to look with the binoculars and I could see people in it and didn’t think much of it,” he told the Press Association. | “We were on our way out on a fishing trip and we noticed a small, tiny dinghy on the horizon and I tried to look with the binoculars and I could see people in it and didn’t think much of it,” he told the Press Association. |
| “But as we got closer ... they see us and suddenly started waving. I had another look with the binoculars and I could see they were actually waving the oars and they tied a red T-shirt on to an oar and were waving that. | “But as we got closer ... they see us and suddenly started waving. I had another look with the binoculars and I could see they were actually waving the oars and they tied a red T-shirt on to an oar and were waving that. |
| “So then I motored over to see who it might be, because they were clearly in distress, but in the back of my mind I thought this could actually be asylum seekers or it could be someone who’s drifted off the beach. | “So then I motored over to see who it might be, because they were clearly in distress, but in the back of my mind I thought this could actually be asylum seekers or it could be someone who’s drifted off the beach. |
| “As I got over to them I could see they were clearly in distress and the boat was half full of water, so they sort of made a leap for the boat as we got near. | “As I got over to them I could see they were clearly in distress and the boat was half full of water, so they sort of made a leap for the boat as we got near. |
| “Luckily I had 12 passengers on and they grabbed hold of them and we got them aboard pretty quick and then we got the boat aboard, which was a little inflatable dinghy. | “Luckily I had 12 passengers on and they grabbed hold of them and we got them aboard pretty quick and then we got the boat aboard, which was a little inflatable dinghy. |
| “They were in distress. They didn’t speak any English but they kept saying ‘Iran’ because I was asking where they had come from and if they were OK.” | “They were in distress. They didn’t speak any English but they kept saying ‘Iran’ because I was asking where they had come from and if they were OK.” |
| Coker said he initiated first aid and tried to look after the asylum seekers, while they waited for Border Force to arrive. | Coker said he initiated first aid and tried to look after the asylum seekers, while they waited for Border Force to arrive. |
| “They boarded the boat, interviewed them and took them away,” he added. | “They boarded the boat, interviewed them and took them away,” he added. |
| A Home Office spokesman confirmed: “On Saturday morning, Border Force received a call from the UK Coastguard regarding a small inflatable boat off the coast of Dover. | A Home Office spokesman confirmed: “On Saturday morning, Border Force received a call from the UK Coastguard regarding a small inflatable boat off the coast of Dover. |
| “A coastal patrol vessel was deployed and the four people on board have been brought to Dover, where they will be processed in line with the immigration rules.” | “A coastal patrol vessel was deployed and the four people on board have been brought to Dover, where they will be processed in line with the immigration rules.” |
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