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A nearly eight-hour search for a person attempting to swim from Dover to Calais unaccompanied ended after a ship spotted him.
Emergency services launched a major operation to try to locate the swimmer, who was eventually found just 500 meters from Dover.
A helicopter and rescue teams were dispatched to sea off Kent after the coast guard received a call from a member of the public saying a friend was trying to cross into France.
The 27-mile stretch between Dover and Calais can be dangerous and is home to the world’s busiest shipping lane.
The rescue operation began shortly after noon and continued until almost 8:00 p.m. Sunday.
When they found him, he was cold and tired, but otherwise fine, the Coast Guard confirmed. He has been taken to shore and will be checked by ambulance personnel.
The incident was not related to the migrant crossings, the Palestinian Authority news agency understands.
A Coast Guard spokesperson said: “At approximately 12:10 pm today, HM Coastguard received a call from a member of the public with information that his friend was swimming unaccompanied to Calais from Dover.
“Coast Guard rescue teams were dispatched from Deal and Langdon, RNLI lifeboats from Dover and Dungeness, and Coast Guard search and rescue helicopters from Lydd and Lee-on-Solent.
“Ships in the area were asked to be vigilant and the Kent Police, the Port of Dover Police and the Port of Dover were informed.
“The swimmer was spotted shortly before 8 pm by a passing boat just 500 meters from Dover and was taken aboard the RNLI Dungeness lifeboat, cold and tired but otherwise fine.
“It has been taken to shore and will be checked by the Southeast Coast ambulance service.”
