The latest migrants — all Iranian adult men — were taken in after authorities identified a dinghy near Dover, Kent, at 8.45 am (9.45 CET) on Thursday.
“At around 0845 this morning, a RHIB was identified off the coast of Dover containing 8 Iranian migrants (all adult males),” the Home Office said.
This follows another incident earlier in the day, when nine Iranians were detained at around 12.30 am (1.30 CET).
They were intercepted by a lifeboat crew and taken in after their dinghy came ashore at Battery Point near Folkestone.