A baby and several young children were among a large group of migrants brought ashore on Monday after trying to cross the English Channel.
A packed lifeboat was pictured arriving on a beach in Dungeness in Kent.
While officials led passengers away, one woman was seen clutching a small baby who was strapped to her.
Images show other young boys and girls being carried or escorted to safety among several men and women.
Eyewitnesses described authorities including Border Force, and the RNLI, as appearing to be very busy as a steady stream of crossings was thought to be under way amid calm waters and sunny skies.
A young boy is brought ashore from the local lifeboat at Dungeness in Kent, along with a group of people thought to be migrants, after being picked-up following a small boat incident in the Channel.
Gareth Fuller
Sunday saw the first small boat crossings for more than two weeks due to bad weather.
Some 158 people, including five children, arrived on Dover from four boats.
Those arrivals brought the total number of people who have crossed to the UK aboard small boats this year to more than 12,500, according to data compiled by the PA news agency.
A group of people thought to be migrants are brought ashore from the local lifeboat at Dungeness in Kent.
Gareth Fuller
Crossings in 2021 have already eclipsed last year’s annual total of 8,417 and that tally continues to rise on fair weather days.
Despite this, the UK continues to see far fewer boat arrivals and asylum claims than many of its European counterparts.
Earlier this year the RNLI saw a large spike in donations after the charity’s chief executive defended its role in rescuing people crossing the English Channel, describing it as “humanitarian work”.
It came after the charity said it had faced heightened criticism for rescuing migrants, with one crew having to call the police after being subjected to abuse.
