Latest news with #EnglishChannel
Telegraph
a day ago
- Politics
- Telegraph
People smugglers deploy new tactics to evade French police
People smugglers are using lorries to transport migrants to beaches in an attempt to outwit French border police and gendarmes. The gangs are putting dozens of migrants into the lorries along with a dinghy so that they can avoid detection by police spotters, drones and night-vision cameras when they are driven to the beaches for launch. Police and gendarmes have previously been able to track the migrants as they walked to the beach to hide in the dunes ready for the arrival of 'taxi boats', which are brought from further down the coast or inland rivers and waterways. The new tactics come ahead of plans by the French interior ministry for officers from the elite Compagnie de Marche to intercept the 'taxi boats' at sea. The strategy is expected to be ready in time for the Anglo-French summit in London starting on July 8. Until now, the French have refused to intervene in the water because they claim maritime laws prevent them from taking action that could put lives at sea at risk. Hidden in plain sight There have also been instances of gangs driving the dinghies to the shore by car before dumping the vehicle. It is thought this tactic reduces the chance of the boat being intercepted and punctured it before it can get into the sea. On Tuesday morning, smugglers drove a Volvo estate on to the beach with a dinghy strapped to its roof, which was swiftly taken off and launched into the sea. French police also discovered a dinghy buried in the sand. A source close to the French border force's strategic planning said: 'This week we failed to stop a departure that took us by surprise at Etaples, because it's apparently a new modus operandi that has been put in place; this involves delivering migrants in trucks with boats inside, so they are brought directly to the beach and the operation is carried out very, very quickly. 'So this time, unlike last time, we were unable to intercept the truck, which escaped our surveillance. We didn't detect it, so they departed from Étaples. There were around 30 migrants. They were taking water so it's far from sure whether they managed to cross.' 'We've had trucks with huge numbers of migrants inside, arriving at the last minute from far away. We can't stop all the trucks driving around there either. So this allows them to escape our vigilance.' Some 17,278 migrants have arrived so far this year, up 40 per cent on last year and the highest to this point in the year since the first arrivals in 2018. The source said the forecasts for crossings were 'favourable' through to at least Friday. 'Unfortunately, the smugglers have the same forecast as us, so we know what to expect,' they said. 'It has nothing to do with the weather; it's all about conditions at sea. The reason that we have seen more crossings and attempted crossings this year is that there have been more such windows of opportunity.' The source said the aim was to stop two thirds of the boats, although figures released last month suggested the number of migrants being stopped had fallen to fewer than 40 per cent. They added that the French were adapting their tactics to tackle the 'taxi boats', but said the length of the coastline and inland waterways from which they could be launched was so immense that it was difficult to cover. 'Faced with this situation, we are further adapting our measures, but it requires a lot of men and equipment as we have to follow migrant groups to check for nearby taxi boat,' they said. 'We can't just patrol the waterways; a boat can be hidden in the forest and arriving discreetly along the coast. Traffickers have understood that once a boat is in the water, we don't intervene under current maritime law.'
BBC News
2 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Man and dog rescued near Brighton after three days in dinghy
A man and a dog, believed to have spent three days at sea in an inflatable dinghy, have been rescued off the coast of East Sussex.A lifeboat crew picked up the pair between Brighton Marina and Brighton Palace Pier on man, believed to be a migrant that had attempted to cross the English Channel, was heard telling rescuers he found the dog in a French refugee services launched a rescue operation after a red flare was spotted at about 18:30 BST. The man, who is thought to be from Afghanistan, and the dog were taken ashore about an hour is believed they had been drifting for three days in the dinghy after its engine failed. A HM Coastguard spokesperson said the man was located "safe and well" in a vessel that had reportedly experienced engine issues.A coastguard helicopter, lifeboats from Shoreham and Brighton, and coastguard rescue teams from Shoreham and Newhaven were deployed to the incident, they Police said it had assisted HM Coastguard during the incident and that the man and the dog were passed to Border Force officials.
The National
2 days ago
- Politics
- The National
France ready to intercept Channel migrants on boats bound for UK
France is working on new rules of engagement that would allow its police to board small boats up to 300 metres from the coast to stop them from reaching Britain, the Interior Ministry has told The National. The neighbours hope to unveil the measures at next month's UK-France Summit, according to a document seen by Reuters. "Today, we can only intervene to rescue a boat at sea," a source at the French Interior Ministry said on Wednesday. "We wish to make changes to this [existing] framework in order to be able to operate in shallow waters, up to 300 metres from the coast, and thus intercept ' taxi boat s', while respecting the principles of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea." The reasons for rising numbers attempting to cross the English Channel are favourable weather and new smugglers' strategies that have generated a "massive influx of nationals from the Horn of Africa", the ministry said. As a result, the average load of each illegal boat has increased. Small boats are typically 8m long and are built to carry up to 15 people but smugglers are known to pack more than 80 on board, leading to a mounting death toll. Nearly 80 people died last year trying to cross from northern France to the UK. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper told the UK Parliament this month that a French maritime review of operational tactics was under way. "We are urging France to complete this review and implement the changes as swiftly as possible," Ms Cooper said. The Interior Ministry said the UK concerns were understandable. "We are aware of the high stakes involved in interventions at sea and of the need to adapt our action doctrine," it said. A proposal for action at sea would be developed in summer, it added. In 2021, France had refused a similar request to change tactics made by Ms Cooper's predecessor Priti Patel. NGOs say intercepting small boats at sea is a dangerous practice that endangers the lives of migrants on board, and link the increase in the number of deaths in the process last year to police repression. the prefect of Saint-Omer told news website InfoMigrants in December 2023 that law enforcement had been given "extremely clear instructions to never endanger the lives of migrants". After meeting French President Emmanuel Macron in Canada this week, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer's office said migration should be a key focus at next month's summit given the deteriorating situation in the Channel. Ahead of the summit, Mr Macron will be in Britain for a state visit, during which he will meet King Charles III. Ties between France and Britain have improved since Mr Starmer took office last year, the neighbours brought closer by shared concerns over Russian aggression towards Ukraine and the need to re-arm Europe as US President Donald Trump plots a more isolationist position for the world's largest economy. French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau has made the fight against illegal migration a priority. To that end, on Wednesday he announced the deployment of 4,000 police personnel in train and bus stations across France.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
'That's Failure': Sky News Presenter Slams Labour Minister Over Huge Rise In Small Boat Numbers
A Sky News presenter accused Labour of 'failure' as the number of asylum seekers crossing the English Channel in small boats soars. Nearly 17,000 migrants have made the perilous journey so far this year – nearly 50% more than at the same stage 12 months ago. That is despite the government's vow to tackle the problem by tackling the people smuggling gangs behind it. Housing minister Matthew Pennycook tried to defend the government's record on Sky News this morning, but presenter Wilfred Frost was having none of it. He said: 'Is it fair to say that so far, a year or so into government, that the government's failed in this area?' The minister replied: 'I don't think that's the case. We inherited an immigration and asylum system in complete chaos, we've got to restore order, but there was never going to be a quick, overnight fix on this, and we are taking action in a variety of areas.' But Frost told him: 'To claim you're rapidly bearing down, and to cite once again the inheritance, when we're a full year into your term in office ... and it's not like the numbers have persisted, they're 50% worse. Thus far, that's failure.' Pennycook said: 'I don't accept that. There's no overnight fix to this. We have to put in place the measures that will allow us to rapidly bring down numbers.' Frost hit back: 'Some people will be worried that you don't see it as failure thus far.' Darren Jones Admits He Was Wrong To Say Most Migrants On Small Boats Are 'Children, Babies And Women' Starmer Accused Of Dancing To 'Farage's Tune' With Small Boats Crackdown Labour Split Erupts After Asylum Seekers On Small Boats Banned From Becoming UK Citizens
The Independent
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Starmer signals visa crackdown to tackle ‘deteriorating' English Channel crisis
French police teargassed migrants desperately trying to reach the UK as Sir Keir Starmer threatened a visa crackdown to help tackle the 'deteriorating' situation. The Prime Minister signalled that countries which did not do enough to tackle the irregular migration crisis, for example by taking back failed asylum seekers, could face repercussions in the numbers of visas issued to their citizens. Sir Keir's message came as French police employed more robust tactics on the beaches but stood by and watched once migrants had entered the water to board a dinghy in the hope of crossing the English Channel. Some 16,545 people have crossed in small boats so far in 2025 according to Home Office figures, a 45% increase on the same period in 2024 and higher than at the same point in 2022, the overall record year for crossings. Speaking to reporters at the G7 summit in Canada, the Prime Minister said: 'It's a serious challenge that requires serious responses to it.' He added that he was looking at a 'smarter use of our visas' and 'whether we should tie our visas to the work that the countries we're dealing with are doing on preventative measures and on return agreements'. No 10 signalled it was part of a 'more hard-edged approach to diplomacy and migration'. A spokesman said: 'This is at an early stage, but the principle is clear: if a country won't co-operate on returns or prevention, they shouldn't expect visa privileges to carry on as normal. 'No one has a right to a UK visa, and this Government is making sure the rules are enforced.' On Tuesday morning, hundreds of people gathered on the dunes before making dashes towards the English Channel at Gravelines beach near Calais, all intent on boarding a single dinghy. The French authorities stood by and watched as those not deterred by tear gas waded into the water to risk the Channel crossing. The scenes at Gravelines unfolded just hours after a meeting between Sir Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron at the G7 in Canada to address a situation No 10 acknowledged was 'deteriorating'. Officers were trudging the sands at Gravelines before the sun had risen, armed with riot shields and batons. A thick blanket of tear gas fired by the French Police Nationale was not enough to deter all the migrants gathered at the beach. Those who made it to the water bunched into three groups and waited for the dinghy to collect them, watched by the French police from the shoreline. While they waited, an Afghani migrant who wished to remain anonymous told the PA news agency that he was seeking a better life in the UK. 'Just I want to go for a good life, I have a situation bad in my country,' he said. Well over 50 migrants made it aboard the small black dinghy before it finally set off into the Channel. The dinghy, which had originally come to shore around 7am local time (6am BST), headed out to sea at 9.30am. The boat appeared to be overloaded and witnesses saw it was eventually brought back to shore at around 11am local time. The police would not confirm whether the use of tear gas had now become common practice during these clashes. The UK and France will hold a summit in July focused on tackling the migration problem, No 10 said after a meeting between the Prime Minister and French president on the margins of the G7 in Canada. 'Migration should be a key focus given the deteriorating situation in the Channel, they confirmed – adding that they should continue to work closely with other partners to find innovative ways to drive forward progress,' an official readout of the meeting said. Downing Street acknowledged there were 'no quick fixes', but insisted action was already being taken and 'the days of Britain being a soft touch for these gangs are over'. That includes measures aimed at getting the French authorities to intervene even if migrants are already in the sea. Asked if the Government approved of the use of tear gas, the spokesman said: 'Our work with the French has never been closer. 'We are the first government to have secured agreement from the French to review their laws so their border enforcement teams can intervene in shallow waters.' Shadow home secretary Chris Philp said: 'Starmer is right, under his watch the Channel crisis is spiralling out of control.' He said 2025 was the worst year on record but Labour's answer was 'to ask the British taxpayer to foot the bill for their accommodation or to pay half a billion pounds for the French to wave the boats off and do next to nothing to prevent Channel crossings'. He added: 'The gangs are laughing, the boats keep coming, and Labour's response is to form another taskforce and hold a summit. It's weak and it's embarrassing.'
