Latest news with #LittleShips
ITV News
01-06-2025
- General
- ITV News
'Incredible welcome' as Little Ships return to Kent after weather delays
Watch: Commodore Kevin Finn, from the Association of Dunkirk Little Ships, describes the week's events and the reception given at Ramsgate harbour. Dozens of Little Ships have returned to Kent from Dunkirk, after commemorating 75 years since Operation Dynamo. The fleet had been due to return last weekend, but poor weather conditions returned the sailing. Hundreds of people lined the harbour wall on Saturday evening to welcome the boats, which had set off for France on May 21st. Commodore Kevin Finn, from the Association of Dunkirk Little Ships, described the reception as 'amazing' and said the unexpected delays had been a chance to build relationships. " Friends that we knew we liked became friends that we loved, people we didn't know very well became great friends. "The people of Dunkirk were amazing and the people of Ramsgate have been incredible, coming out to welcome us home on a Saturday evening."
BBC News
26-05-2025
- Climate
- BBC News
Weather concerns pause Ramsgate return for Dunkirk Little Ships
Just a handful of the Little Ships which sailed from Kent to Dunkirk for the 85th anniversary celebrations will return today as planned due to weather of ships which took part in Operation Dynamo will not sail on Monday, 26 May after organisers warned that conditions in the English Channel were "pretty much on the limit".As few as seven ships could make the return journey to Ramsgate due to the conditions, with the rest expected to sail on Saturday, 31 May, a spokesperson for the Association of Dunkirk Little Ships (ADLS) have been taking part in celebrations to commemorate the voyage to save allied soldiers from the French coast between 26 May and 4 June 1940. Mick Gentry, of the ADLS, said: "It will be touch and go."The crossing on Wednesday was pretty much on the limit of where we like to be weather-wise."We are hoping for some divine intervention. It's paramount that we look after the old girls."A total of 66 boats from across Europe set off from Ramsgate on Wednesday, 21 May for Dunkirk as part of the commemorations of Operation than 338,000 soldiers were rescued, with almost 100,000 troops picked up off from the beaches by the little ships and ferried to larger commemorative voyage was the first which did not include any Dunkirk veterans, the ADLS of the ships last made the journey in 2015, to mark the 75th anniversary of Operation Dynamo.
Daily Mail
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
RICHARD LITTLEJOHN: The Dunkirk Spirit's been dumped in favour of illegal migrants
A flotilla of 'Little Ships' crossing the Channel to commemorate the evacuation of Dunkirk in 1940 was forced to divert so Border Force could provide safe passage for illegal immigrants heading for Kent. Eighty-five years after 1,000 assorted fishing boats and pleasure craft set off from England to rescue troops trapped on the beaches of northern France, the British government agency charged with protecting our borders was ferrying yet another boatload of military-age migrants in the opposite direction.
The Sun
21-05-2025
- Politics
- The Sun
Fury as Dunkirk Little Ships flotilla forced to change course in Channel to avoid migrant boat
A FLOTILLA of 'Little Ships' which set out yesterday to mark the 85th anniversary of the Dunkirk evacuation was forced to change course in the English Channel — to avoid a migrant boat. A fleet of 66 vessels taking part in the commemoration, which began at 6am on the south coast, was 'shoved out the way' to create a one-mile exclusion zone around the packed vessel from France. 4 4 4 It came as a record 820 migrants crossed the Channel two of whom — a woman and a child — died after falling unconscious. The Association of Dunkirk Little Ships had hoped the trip would ensure 'the legacy of the Dunkirk little ships continues to inspire future generations'. Its event marked Operation Dynamo during which 338,000 Allied Soldiers were evacuated by around 850 private boats between May 26 and June 4, 1940 as Nazis swept through Europe. Its success led to Second World War PM Winston Churchill's 'We shall fight them on the beaches' speech. Like those vessels, yesterday's flotilla also launched from Ramsgate in Kent aiming to reach Dunkirk in Northern France. En route, a marine audio warning told them to change course. It stated: 'There is a [French] warship on our head with a migrant [boat] close by. 'And we've been requested to give one nautical mile distance from that vessel, over.' The message is understood to have been initiated by UK Border Force and the French Navy who were escorting the small boat. One observer said: 'They have asked the British ships to get out of the way. The Sun watches as hundreds of illegal migrants arrive at Dover 'It is one of the most important days in history and they are shoving them out of the way.' Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said: 'On the very day we mark the heroism of Dunkirk, over 800 illegal migrants crossed the Channel. 'And while British veterans and their families retraced the path of courage and sacrifice, they were ordered to stand aside for a boat full of illegal migrants escorted by authorities.' He added: 'This is what Labour's border policy has come to. 'Small boats now take priority over the Little Ships of Dunkirk. 'It's shameful, it's disgraceful, and it's a national embarrassment. 'So far, 2025 is the worst year on record for Channel crossings. 'If illegal migrants were removed upon arrival to a third country such as Rwanda, the boats would stop. ' Labour scrapped that deterrent and now Britain is paying the price.' Reform UK leader Nigel Farage last night said: 'This says it all about the destruction of our history and our values. 'The aggressive young males on their way over have nothing in common with us.' The route change came as the woman and child died. A French Navy vessel set out to try to help them and ten others on board who needed assistance. First responders performed first aid but to no avail and the deaths were confirmed later. 4
Daily Mail
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Migrant boat crossing English Channel forces Dunkirk flotilla of 'Little Ships' to divert as they commemorated legendary WWII evacuation
A flotilla marking the 85th anniversary of the Dunkirk evacuation was forced to divert due to a migrant dinghy in the English Channel. The fleet of 66 vessels set sail from Ramsgate, Kent, at 6am on Wednesday to commemorate Operation Dynamo, which saw the 'Little Ships' rescue 300,000 Allied soldiers over 10 days in 1940. But a migrant boat incident which claimed two lives led to the flotilla lengthening its crossing to Dunkirk to give a wider berth to a dinghy still in the Channel. The Telegraph reported that sailors were told in a maritime frequency message: 'There is a [French] warship on our head with a migrant [boat] close by. And we've been requested to give one nautical mile distance from that vessel, over.' A French-accented voice, believed to be from the French naval vessel Oyapock, then replied: 'Thank you, sir. Thank you very much.' One observer later said: 'It is one of the most important days in history and they are shoving them out of the way.' The A ssociation of Dunkirk Little Ships organised the flotilla - depicted in Christopher Nolan's epic 2017 film, to ensure 'the legacy of the Dunkirk little ships continues to inspire future generations'. It came as two migrants tragically died in the Channel, as the total to have reached Britain since Labour came to power passed 36,000. The dead were pulled from waters off the Calais coast by the French navy after an overloaded dinghy got into difficulties. French officials said most of the rest of the migrants aboard the inflatable refused rescue and carried on to UK. The Home Office confirmed there were 49 arrivals on Tuesday, bringing the total since the general election to 35,990, a 29 per cent increase on the same period in 2023-24. Additionally, there were dozens of further arrivals today. The total includes 12,748 since the start of this year, also a 29 per cent rise on the same point in 2024. The latest tragedy unfolded in the early hours, a spokesman for France's Maritime prefecture said. The dinghy which had 80 people aboard was designed to carry no more than 20, it is understood. The unidentified migrants were 'pulled out by a Navy vessel' and sailors 'performed first aid on the two victims, but they were soon declared dead'. Ten other passengers requested rescue, while about 70 others asked to remain aboard the inflatable which continued its journey towards the English coast. A French Navy boat and a helicopter with a medical team on board provided emergency cover. Prosecutors in France have started an enquiry into the fatalities, while judicial police are searching for people smugglers who arranged the crossing. In total, some 17 people have perished on small boats so far this year. A woman died on Sunday night after a dinghy broke up off the French coast. Last year saw a record 78 deaths.
