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Channel migrants: Dover visit for minister amid 'crisis' | Channel migrants: Dover visit for minister amid 'crisis' |
(about 2 hours later) | |
Immigration minister Caroline Nokes is to visit Dover amid growing criticism of the government's handling of the surge in migrants crossing the Channel. | Immigration minister Caroline Nokes is to visit Dover amid growing criticism of the government's handling of the surge in migrants crossing the Channel. |
More than 220 people have tried the crossing in small boats since the start of November and Home Secretary Sajid Javid has declared a "major incident". | |
Dover MP Charlie Elphicke has called for more patrol boats in the Channel. | Dover MP Charlie Elphicke has called for more patrol boats in the Channel. |
He said the Home Office "has not been taking this seriously enough and the crisis has continued to escalate". | He said the Home Office "has not been taking this seriously enough and the crisis has continued to escalate". |
It comes after another 12 people were detained off the coast of Dover in the early hours of Friday morning. | It comes after another 12 people were detained off the coast of Dover in the early hours of Friday morning. |
Mr Javid has been appointed "gold commander" to take control of the response and will now receive daily updates from the Home Office. | Mr Javid has been appointed "gold commander" to take control of the response and will now receive daily updates from the Home Office. |
He will talk to his French counterpart about the situation over the weekend. | He will talk to his French counterpart about the situation over the weekend. |
Mr Javid has also asked the Border Force to consider whether employing more vessels would act as a deterrent or encourage more people to make the crossing. | Mr Javid has also asked the Border Force to consider whether employing more vessels would act as a deterrent or encourage more people to make the crossing. |
Only one of the Border Force's fleet of five cutters - specialist boats which the force describes as being capable of rescuing several migrant boats at the same time - is currently operational in the Dover Strait. | Only one of the Border Force's fleet of five cutters - specialist boats which the force describes as being capable of rescuing several migrant boats at the same time - is currently operational in the Dover Strait. |
Ms Nokes and Mr Elphicke are to discuss the situation with Border Force officers in Dover. | Ms Nokes and Mr Elphicke are to discuss the situation with Border Force officers in Dover. |
Mr Elphicke said "we need a clear strategy to defeat the traffickers", adding that the French authorities should step up action on their side of the Channel. | Mr Elphicke said "we need a clear strategy to defeat the traffickers", adding that the French authorities should step up action on their side of the Channel. |
'They were desperate to get on to dry land' | |
British fisherman Matt Coaker first saw an overloaded three-man dinghy in September, carrying four adults trying to make it to UK shores. | |
"They started waving their oars and tying T-shirts on the oars to get our attention," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. | |
He said the dinghy had a lot of water inside and that the migrants "just looked like they had had enough", adding: "They had been drifting about for some time, they had no engine and just a few oars. | |
"They were desperate for a bit of water, a bit of food and possibly just to get on to dry land." | |
The fisherman pulled his boat alongside them to check how they were, and one of the men made a jump for it. | |
"Luckily the customers I had on-board managed to grab him before he went back in the water, because the last thing you want is someone going down underneath the propeller," said Mr Coaker. | |
"They got him over the side and, as they did, the others made a jump and we had all four on-board within minutes." | |
He has seen a number of dinghies since, including one at night carrying two families with an 18-month-old girl in tow. And while he said it wasn't the norm, it now "doesn't surprise you if you go out and see a rescue taking place". | |
Officials on both sides of the Channel have warned of the dangers of crossing what is the world's busiest shipping lane in a small boat. | Officials on both sides of the Channel have warned of the dangers of crossing what is the world's busiest shipping lane in a small boat. |
Police have likened the journey to trying to "cross the M25 at rush-hour on foot". | Police have likened the journey to trying to "cross the M25 at rush-hour on foot". |
Many of the migrants are Iranian or Syrian. | Many of the migrants are Iranian or Syrian. |
A BBC South East investigation last month found that people smugglers were telling migrants they must enter before "the borders shut properly" after Brexit. | A BBC South East investigation last month found that people smugglers were telling migrants they must enter before "the borders shut properly" after Brexit. |
British and French authorities have both said the rise in crossings is the result of "organised criminality" and "mafia networks". | British and French authorities have both said the rise in crossings is the result of "organised criminality" and "mafia networks". |
Responding to the suggestion that bringing rescued migrants to the UK could encourage people to attempt the journey, Steve Valdez-Symonds, from Amnesty International, said that was "nonsense". | Responding to the suggestion that bringing rescued migrants to the UK could encourage people to attempt the journey, Steve Valdez-Symonds, from Amnesty International, said that was "nonsense". |
"If people are in danger of their lives then they need to be saved," he told the BBC. | "If people are in danger of their lives then they need to be saved," he told the BBC. |
The people found off the Kent coast since November: | The people found off the Kent coast since November: |