The UK Border Force has said it is responding to a "record" number of incidents following reports of boats carrying migrants arriving off the Kent coast.
The coastgaurd has assisted border police with at least 13 different reported incidents on Saturday morning, an HM Coastguard spokeswoman said.
Earlier, it was reported four boats with 30 people had been intercepted. Eight men in an inflatable dinghy have also been seen on Winchelsea Beach, in East Sussex.
Images of men being given blankets by emergency service workers on Winchelsea Beach have been shared on Twitter.
Border force vessels, RNLI lifeboats from Dover, Dungeness and Rye and coastguard rescue teams from Folkestone, Langdon and Rye Bay have been involved in the response.
A Border Force spokeswoman confirmed it was dealing with ongoing small boat incidents.
A spokesman for Kent Police said it had provided support to the Border Force.
Responding to reports of eight boats being dealt with, Kent MP Charlie Elphicke claimed it would mean "a record number of boats arriving in a single day".
He added on Twitter: "This crisis was meant to have been dealt with at Christmas, yet numbers continue to rise.
"It looks set to surge to record levels through the summer.
"The Home Office needs to get a grip on this crisis."
Later he said: "This is much more than simply border security. It is about the exploitation of vulnerable people by crinimal trafficking gangs - gangs that Britain and France must work together to catch and bring to justice.
"These journeys are also incredibly dangerous," he continued. "Overcrowded boats with men, women & children aboard. The risk of a tragedy in the middle of the English Channel resulting in loss of life is very real."
An HM Coastguard spokeswoman said it is "committed to safeguarding life around the seas and coastal areas of this country".
She added: "We are only concerned with preservation of life, rescuing those in trouble and bringing them safely back to shore, where they will be handed over to the relevant partner emergency services or authorities."
Agencies contributed to this report.
