FEARS are growing that packed mega dinghies could start landing across Britain’s southern coast after a small boat made the “longest ever” crossing of the English Channel.
The boat packed with 140 migrants made the first-of-its-kind crossing from Normandy before being intercepted by lifeboats, with the occupants being taken to Portsmouth.
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It made the nearly 70-mile – and potentially treacherous – crossing, which is double the length of the traditional small boat route from Calais to Dover.
And the departure point was more than 200 miles from the usual beach which dinghies leave from at Gravelines in France.
Fears are now growing the landmark crossing could mean the opening up of new routes across the South Coast.
And a much wider crossing zone – rather than the narrow, predictable and well supported Dover route – could put major pressure on services.
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Joe Robertson, the Conservative MP for Isle of Wight East, described the crossing as “deeply troubling”.
He told The Sun: “It is deeply concerning that people smugglers appear to be using new routes to traffic people into the country.
“The Isle of Wight is a very long way from France and much further west than Kent but it doesn’t seem to have deterred them.”
Meanwhile, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Police and Crime Commissioner Donna Jones warned the coast is simply not prepared for a shift in trafficking routes.
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Ms Jones called on the government to adapt its approach in the wake of yesterday’s crossing – which sparked huge protests into the early hours.
There is a stretch of coastline of 120 miles between Dover and Portsmouth – much of it covered by popular seaside towns and resorts.
The boat launched from within the Baie de la Seine in Normandy – the same coastline that saw thousands of allied troops arrive during the famed D-Day landings.
It was intercepted by life-boat crews from the Isle of Wight as it approached the south coast – having travelled some of the way under the escort of the French Coastguard.
The occupants of the mega dinghy were then taken ashore in Eastney, Portsmouth – a city known as the home of the Royal Navy.
Reform MP Robert Jenrick repeated his party’s vow to use the Navy to stop the boats.
He fumed: “The invasion comes to Portsmouth.”
Roughly 500 protesters descended on the port city overnight in a tense standoff with riot police as they vowed to prevent migrants leaving.
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Home Office officials have said small boat crossing are down – falling to a six-year low.
But now smuggling gangs are now loading larger, more sophisticated boats – much to the shock of both British and French lifeboat services.
Last month, a record 230 illegal immigrants flooded onto a single Britain-bound boat.
The lifejacket-clad passengers were crammed on the 49ft craft, which carried more than an average EasyJet flight from France.
And while yesterday’s crossing followed the trend, it also demonstrated a concerning new tactic by smuggling gangs.
Le Rivage, the launch site, is almost 200 miles from Calais – where a steady stream of small boats have departed from over the past decade.
The westerly move appears to be the latest strategy to avoid French cops on the beaches and a new seaborne unit.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said: “This week Andy Burnham struck an agreement for 45 more officers on French beaches.
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“Today a boat launched from Baie de Seine, 170 miles from Calais, arriving on the beaches of Hampshire for the very first time.
“This is a joke.”
PCC Jones said the change will be a “significant issue” for the Government if people traffickers shift their destinations across the south coast.
She said Portsmouth was “not set up for it”, while pointing to significant investment pumped into Dover to help deal with arrivals.
Last night’s protests in Pompey echoed scenes at an anti-illegal migration protest which blocked the Port of Dover on Saturday.
Masked demonstrators could be seen blocking routes from the RNLI Portsmouth Lifeboat Station at Eastney Marina.
The passengers migrants are set to be taken to a facility in Manston, Kent, which is routine for small-boat arrivals in the county.
Issuing a stark warning today, Ms Jones said the unrest is “just the start” if action is not taken to counter the smugglers’ latest tactics.
She urged the Government to counter changing patterns from people smugglers shifting away from crossings at the Strait of Dover.
The PCC added: “This is just the start, if this continues, these numbers will grow from the protesters…
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“Largely they were peaceful, they were making their point that they don’t want Portsmouth to become a destination.”
The Home Office has been approached for comment.