A TINY dingy packed full of up to 20 suspected migrants was spotted bobbing around in a busy shipping lane in the English Channel on Tues morning.

Shocked ferry customers were alarmed to see the small vessel just metres from them.

It was seen travelling from Calais to Dover just after 7:30am yesterday (Tues).

Huge tankers could be seen in the distance.

One Brit on the 7am DFDS freight ferry from the French port said: “I was sitting in the cafe at the front of the ferry and just out of the corner of my eye I spotted the small raft.

“I rushed to the back of the ferry where you can go outside.”

He added: “It looked to have around 15 to 20 on board and was approximately one mile off the coast of Calais.

“It was a clear day, and the sea was like a millpond, you could see the amount of large freighters tracking the channel.

“It barely seemed to be moving against the speed we were going.

“Once you see it upfront with your own eyes it hits home just how treacherous it is.

“It must have been 500 metres from the ferry.”

The Ministry of Defence has taken over from the Home Office dealing with migrant crossings.

An MoD spokesperson said: “The rise in dangerous Channel crossings is unacceptable.

“Not only are they an overt abuse of our immigration laws, but they risk lives and hinder our ability to help refugees who come to the UK through safe and legal routes.

“The Nationality and Borders Act will fix our broken immigration system by protecting those in genuine need while cracking down on the evil people-smuggling gangs responsible for these life-threatening journeys.

“Under our new Migration and Economic Development Partnership with Rwanda, we are continuing preparations to relocate those who are making dangerous, unnecessary and illegal journeys into the UK in order for their claims to be considered and rebuild their lives.”