In recent weeks, England’s South Coast has seen a sharp increase in migrants crossing the Channel in small boats.

Published 3 years ago

UK newspaper The Guardian reports that the number of people who have made the dangerous journey across the Channel in small boats this year has passed the total for all of 2020 – with more than five months of 2021 to go.

With the increased activity of migrant boats, those yachts crossing the Channel or cruising the South East coast of England should be vigilant and aware of what they should do if they see a migrant boat or encounter one in trouble.

Yachting Monthly published a useful article this month – Migrants at sea: the dos and don’ts of helping those in distress – in which Elaine Bunting speaks with a number of yachts skippers who have encountered migrants at sea in the Med and European waters.

Official advice is to stand-off and report to the Coast Guard/broadcast a PanPan, as well as keep a detailed log of times, positions, contacts made and instructions. Stuart Carruthers, RYA Cruising Manager explains to Elaine Bunting, “‘It sounds harsh but a rescue could put you and your crew in danger. You could have a massive bureaucratic problem and be tied up in bringing illegal immigrants into the country.”

To counter the increase in migrant boats, the Home Office has revealed that the UK government is providing funds to France for another clampdown on small-boat crossings of the Channel. Part of the agreement is that number of police patrols on French beaches will more than double to try and stop migrant boats leaving France.

Migrant activity is also prevalent in the Med and between Africa and the Canary Islands. At least 44,230 people have arrived in Europe via the Mediterranean by land and sea so far this year, according to data from the UN high commissioner for refugees.

Related Links:

• UK to pay £55M to French Border Patrols to fund Migrant Clampdown (The Guardian)
  
• Migrants at Sea:  The Dos and Donts of Helping those in Distress (Yachting Monthly)
  
• English Channel: Record Number of Migrants Rescued from Small Rubber Boats (Noonsite – Feb 2020)
• Other Migrant reports on Noonsite
  

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Noonsite has not independently verified this information.

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