DETENTION ACTION say that only 13 people were on the deportation flight to Jamaica that took place in the early hours of this morning.

This is far fewer than the 50 people, who activists claim were scheduled to be deported.

Organisations like Movement for Justice assisted people, even as they boarded the coach which was to take them to the plane.

The group reported at 1.29am this morning that a man who had been out of prison for six years, and had not re-offended had a last minute intervention.

This means the father of five will be brought back, even if the airplane doors were closed when his intervention came through.

Movement for Justice attributed this intervention to the work of Cranbrook Legal law firm.

Black and Asian Lawyers for Justice have said that the reduced number of people who ended up on the flight illustrates how the Home Office often makes “serious mistakes.”

The Independent reported that a Jamaican National was taken off the flight at the “eleventh hour” due to trafficking concerns.

Black Activists Rising Against Cuts said: “We are waking with heavy hearts and thoughts with the #Jamaica50 families separated last night, but we believe through our collective efforts approximately half were not deported.

“Thank you to everyone who took action, practical not just symbolic solidarity makes a difference.”

MP’s, peers and celebrities tried to get the scheduled deportation flight cancelled by penning open letters.

The flight comes just over a week after the Home Office has committed to change. The Equality and Human Rights Commission recently found they did not comply with equality law when implementing hostile environment policies.

A Home Office spokesperson said: “It is disappointing that a significant number of foreign national offenders were removed from this flight.

“The UK only ever returns those who the Home Office and, where applicable, the courts are satisfied do not need our protection and have no legal basis to remain in the UK.

“No one on the plane had an outstanding trafficking claim.

“At all immigration removal centres, individuals are able to contact their legal representatives by telephone, personal email, fax and through Skype video calls.

“In line with Government policy on social distancing, face to face legal visits are only being held in exceptional circumstances, and only if other means of contact are not feasible. Residents scheduled for the charter received priority consideration if they requested an exceptional legal visit.

“No legal visits were refused for those on the charter.

“Individuals had every opportunity to raise the claims in the days and weeks leading up to the flight, however a significant number of claims were not submitted until hours before the flight was due to leave – meaning a murderer and rapists have been able to stay in the UK.

“However, we will be working through these cases as quickly as possible and once barriers to removal are resolved, we will seek to remove them at the next opportunity.

“The last minute claims included judicial reviews, new asylum cases, late appeals and new modern slavery claims.

“Any new legal representations made must be fully and carefully considered in accordance with the law.”