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Two more Border Force vessels return to patrol Channel | |
(35 minutes later) | |
Two UK Border Force boats will be redeployed from overseas to patrol the Channel in response to recent migrant crossings, the home secretary has said. | Two UK Border Force boats will be redeployed from overseas to patrol the Channel in response to recent migrant crossings, the home secretary has said. |
Sajid Javid said the operation would protect human life, as well as borders. | |
Mr Javid met Border Force officials earlier after agreeing a joint action plan with France. | |
Twelve migrants were found on the Kent coast on Monday, bringing the total number of people to have reached the UK by boat since November to 239. | |
The home secretary said around 230 people tried to cross the Channel in December, but half of them were "disrupted" by French officials and did not leave France. | |
The decision to recall the vessels was taken by the Home Office after some MPs - including Conservative backbenchers - called for more Border Force patrols to be deployed. | |
Only one of the five Border Force cutters - specialist boats which the force describes as being capable of rescuing several migrant boats at the same time - had been working in the Dover Strait. | |
Mr Javid said the incidents around the Channel were still a "serious concern" to him, adding: "It's both about protecting human life but also about protecting our borders. | |
"When it comes to human life, clearly I want to make sure that we are doing all we can to protect people. | |
"This is one of the most treacherous stretches of water. Twenty-one miles with people taking grave risk, really putting their lives into their own hands by taking this journey." |