Protests erupted in Portsmouth following the arrival of migrants who traveled from France on a small boat, a journey noted to be longer than usual. BBC Verify utilized ship-tracking websites to monitor the movements of UK and French vessels that observed the migrant boat traversing the English Channel on September 6.
The incident brings to the forefront the complexities and dangers associated with irregular migration across the English Channel, a route frequently used by individuals seeking to reach the United Kingdom.
The BBC Verify team, with correspondent Merlyn Thomas, producer Sophie Bott, and producer Jenna Abaatouk, along with graphics by Sally Nicholls and verification by Barbara Metzler, employed digital tools to track maritime activity during the crossing. This technological approach provided insights into the operational oversight of the vessel during its passage.