Migrant smuggling charges after yacht intercepted

Two men have been charged with plotting to smuggle migrants into the UK on a yacht from northern France.

The boat, with seven people on board, was found by a Border Force cutter off the Isle of Wight on Sunday afternoon and was escorted to Gosport Marina, the National Crime Agency (NCA) previously said.

Its crew, two Ukrainian men, have been charged with facilitating illegal immigration.

Vladyslav Cherniavskyi, 37, and Oleksandr Yavtushenko, 43, are due to appear before Portsmouth magistrates later.

Four of the boat's passengers - three Albanian males and a Vietnamese female - have been handed to immigration authorities, NCA said.

A fifth passenger, Pellumb Selimi, 29, from Albania, has arrested for failing to appear in court in connection with drugs offences.

He is due to appear before St Albans Crown Court, the NCA added.

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