Former Calais Jungle migrant found trying to reach Britain in an inflatable KAYAK eight miles off Kent coast
The Iranian man is believed to have been picked up by UK Border Force last week
A MIGRANT has been picked up within eight miles of the English coast after paddling across the channel in an inflatable kayak.
The Iranian man is understood to have been spotted by a cross-channel ferry in the middle of World's busiest shipping lanes.
A vessel from the UK border force was dispatched from Dover, Kent and picked up the man late last week - on Thursday or Friday.
It is understood he immediately claimed asylum, according to Sky News.
It is believed to be the first instance of a man attempting to make the 20-mile crossing alone in a kayak and came as the 'jungle' camp in Calais was being demolished last week.
The 30 year old man was living at the camp and according to Sky News told people in the jungle that he was a software engineer before he had left Iran.
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Sky News understands he claims to have converted to Christianity in Iran and was persecuted as a consequence. The details of his persecution are not known.
He is now being detained at an immigration centre in Croydon, South London and is being dealt with under an immigration procedure known as 'Detained Fast Track' (DFT).
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