Auto Amazon Links: No products found.
Approximately 140 migrants traveling in a single dinghy have been rescued in the English Channel. The inflatable boat, which set off from the Normandy coastline overnight, sought assistance after entering UK waters. Two RNLI lifeboats responded to the call and conducted the rescue, according to the French coastguard. Those on board are now being taken to a UK port.
This incident occurred shortly after a meeting between Prime Minister Andy Burnham and French President Emmanuel Macron, where the two leaders discussed plans to “scale up” measures aimed at reducing the number of small boat crossings. Notably, in August, a single small vessel managed to carry a record-breaking 230 people across the Channel successfully.
The dinghy departed from the Bay of the Seine and was monitored for about ten hours by French rescue vessels as a precaution. The French coastguard noted that intervening directly to stop the dinghy while at sea was considered unsafe. Once the boat reached UK waters around midday, lifeboats from Bembridge and Yarmouth arrived to assist. French authorities highlighted the unusual nature of this departure point, which is situated roughly 170 miles from the more common launch sites near Calais, making the journey significantly longer.
Local officials previously informed the BBC about an increase in departures from Normandy, a trend that has been seen over the past year. Addressing the ongoing situation, a Home Office spokesperson stated: “This government is bearing down on dangerous small boat crossings and restoring control at our border. Joint efforts have seen over 48,000 crossing attempts prevented and 1,100 boats and engines seized since the election.” They added that further action is planned, mentioning a new “payment-by-results deal with the French to put 40% more boots on the ground on French beaches.”
During their bilateral discussions, Burnham and Macron acknowledged progress but agreed on the need to intensify efforts to curb crossings. Although boat crossings have decreased over the summer months to their lowest numbers since 2019, smugglers have adapted by placing more people onto fewer, larger vessels, often referred to as “mega dinghies.” This tactic is believed to be a response to increased policing in the Calais region, forcing people traffickers to take greater risks to avoid being caught.
Statistics from this year reveal that between January 1 and September 1, 16,513 people crossed the English Channel by small boat from France. In response to the evolving challenge, Downing Street announced the deployment of 45 additional police officers to French beaches as part of a “surge team.” Their focus will be on combating the use of larger dinghies carrying more migrants in a single crossing
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
Auto Amazon Links: No products found.