Crossing the channel in boats

[MarshaBradyo]

Listening to radio re terrible situation on the water but also in camps in France

It all sounds very hard

What would you like to see happen?

Never I had heard that re Maritime Law and it makes sense and your post was interesting

I’m wondering about on the police on the beach part

I’m not sure anyone knows the right approach

notimagain,
"It’s an example of what the French regard as the Uk outsourcing it’s Border control - regardless of how it was paid for the not particularly eye pleasing structures are in/around Calais, it to some extent buggers up the daily lives of the French locals……"

The French earn a lot of money from traffic going through the port of Calais and don't want that income stream to dry up. So it's in their own interests to keep it safe for foreign vehicles to use, not because they are doing us a favour.
They know that if they become too "difficult" then the traffic will go elsewhere.
The present threatened Calais blockade by he French is just a case of 'noses and faces' - they should be careful what they wish for...

www.export.org.uk/news/585576/UK-looks-to-diversify-trade-routes-in-and-out-of-Europe-following-French-threats-of-Calais-blockade.htm

Not really sure what you point is re Calais..

Objectively both UK and France companies make money or at least minimise transport costs by routing through Calais so it was in both sides interest to secure the port/tunnel as best they can…

That doesn’t alter the objective fact that the security fence and the migrant camps have had far more impact on the French population than the people of Kent, and as a result there is some push back by the locals.

I’m not sure there’s a French equivalent acronym to NIMBY but they exist, and would happily put all the migrants in ferries, dump them on the slipway at Dover and let Border Force do all the work.

When you start to hear the likes of Mr Barnier, who is on the moderate side of the right wing, pretty much suggesting doing exactly that maybe it’s time for some here to reconsider their Pavlovian hate of M Macron…..

I would argue your point about kent @notimagain

We need to deal with this the way Australia does. It will stop the traffickers and stop people drowning in the channel.

@Maireas

Surely launching an unseaworthy, overcrowded vessel, often with children aboard must be an offence? If not, it should be.

Yes there are regulations which are being broken. They would apply to the owners or person/s in charge of the boat, not the passengers, which would probably be difficult to establish. I'm not french but I sail, & know that France has many regulations, even for leisure boating, including the use which various types if vessels can have (in terms of distance from the shore), safety equipment which must be on board, & qualifications needed for the skipper. There are financial penalties but also they have powers to confiscate the boat. In the case of the large flimsy inflatables being used, they could be deflated & taken away. As the channel crossing are commercial, it's likely that the regulations & penalties would be even more severe & it would be a crime to breach them. I believe the aim of the regulations is to prevent too much demand being placed on the rescue services, but I have yet to hear of any french lifeboats assisting the migrants, only the RNLI? Also I don't know if there are separate officials/police responsible for enforcing these regulations rather than the normal police.

Good points, @Snowballs1, it just seems to be escalating and more tragedies will happen.
The RNLI have been rescuing as many as 4 boats per day, never mind other rescue organisations and individuals out fishing.

I have heard of the french coastguard assisting a boat back to shore, too vague to know why or what actually happened, & not sure what if any lifeboat service they have, some countries only have commercial services, & no free to the user voluntary/charity provison like the RNLI.
It makes it even more annoying seeing photos of french police ignoring boats being launched when you know they have plenty of legal grounds to stop them! I also heard of a boat being shot with rubber bullers to puncture it but several people were injured in the process, that is terrible & going from one extreme to the other. As a previous poster said, easy for police to puncture the boats, when they are able to find & get to them in time.

Snowballs that detail is interesting. Not sure why if you’re doing beach patrol you couldn’t have something else to puncture a boat that’s not dangerous in any way

I agree the RNLI is incredible and it must be so frustrating

I listened to one reporter talk from a boat saying that even at 4am / 5am radio chatter was constant with people needing help. It really struck me in a way I hadn’t considered. All the activity in the dark and cold

I have yet to hear of any french lifeboats assisting the migrants, only the RNLI?

Well, they do. Every night.

www.infomigrants.net/en/post/35825/france-rescues-213-migrants-in-english-channel

They do this side too @NeverDropYourMooncup
I think this thread is a valuable lesson in not believing everything you see on the news

@WayneKorr

They do this side too *@NeverDropYourMooncup* I think this thread is a valuable lesson in not believing everything you see on the news

Really? You mean there's a British equivalent of the SNSM?

It does show that perceptions are shaped by the angle that the press take, really. And that's never an angle of telling the truth.

[quote NeverDropYourMooncup]I have yet to hear of any french lifeboats assisting the migrants, only the RNLI?

Well, they do. Every night.

www.infomigrants.net/en/post/35825/france-rescues-213-migrants-in-english-channel[/quote]
I believe the modern tactic is to say "I don't accept that" and then to return to arguing from "da feelz" rather than "the facts".

Certainly seems to shut the BBC up.

So back to the point. It's just the RNLI helping out, apparently. and that's a fact ....

[quote NeverDropYourMooncup]I have yet to hear of any french lifeboats assisting the migrants, only the RNLI?

Well, they do. Every night.

www.infomigrants.net/en/post/35825/france-rescues-213-migrants-in-english-channel[/quote]
Good to know

People get sarky but I appreciate new info. Why not? Maybe we’d get further if people at top listened to each other.. we can model ;

Don’t fall for the “it’s all done by organised criminal gangs” schtick. That’s just the Home Secretary trying to associate a legal right to seek asylum with criminality. Most crossings are attempted in dinghies purchased by families, according to the NCA. This government is the evil it pretends to be trying to defeat.

This government is the evil it pretends to be trying to defeat.

Never a truer word …

Most crossings are attempted in dinghies purchased by families, according to the NCA

That's interesting NoraNik ,where did you read that ?

Think world leaders need to make a plan to deal with the humanitarian crisis instead of France and England talking about increased security. These people are desperate. I'm sure that more security will just increase the risks they are taking. It certainly will not reduce desperation.

The dinghies and rib vessels are being resold at auction after being seized. What a good idea

It doesn’t … then again given the French rules /limits on cash transactions it’ll be interesting to see if any people smugglers are prepared to take part and then pay by Carte Bancaire….

if people are in over crowded boats then pick them up and take them back to france and confiscate the boats
its about time france did more

Lewis Goodall @lewis_goodall
Ten of the victims of last week’s catastrophe in the Channel. The process of identifying the bodies and contacting relatives is ongoing. Meanwhile, it’s snowing and freezing cold at the camp in Grand Synthe. t.co/6zuxHnqN3L

@simonisnotme

if people are in over crowded boats then pick them up and take them back to france and confiscate the boats its about time france did more

You mean like this?

www.reuters.com/world/europe/france-rescues-nearly-250-migrants-english-channel-2021-11-21/

@Maireas

Surely launching an unseaworthy, overcrowded vessel, often with children aboard must be an offence? If not, it should be.

Yet hundreds of parents around the world (and not just the UK) do this every summer, just ask the RNLI how many inflatable-related rescues they go out to.

@simonisnotme

if people are in over crowded boats then pick them up and take them back to france and confiscate the boats its about time france did more

That's exactly what happens if they are in French waters