12 hours ago
Migrants turn from small boats to yachts
Border Force is struggling to keep up with the increasing number of migrants entering the country by yacht, a leading union has claimed.
People smugglers are coming up with new ways to get migrants across the English Channel into the UK ahead of a change to the maritime rules in France that will allow border police and gendarmes to stop boats from leaving waters within 300 metres of their coastline.
Private boats and trawlers are growing in popularity as an ' easy and low-risk' route for bringing illegal migrants to the UK.
Some 17,817 migrants have arrived so far this year, up 40 per cent on last year and the highest to this point in the year since the first arrivals in 2018.
Lucy Moreton, from the ISU, which represents Border Force staff, said there simply is not enough resources to keep up with demand.
'It is a growing issue as the small-boat route becomes more challenged. It's something we have started monitoring more, but we simply do not have the staff to do everything,' she added.
'Most of the ports in the UK do not have a Border Force officer working at them so it comes down to the local police and the public. The system of boat ownership is very hard to monitor.'
In April, Border Force officials intercepted a yacht off the Cornish coast and discovered 20 people hiding below deck. The 19 men and one woman, all thought to be Albanian nationals, were trying to enter the UK illegally. They were detained pending deportation, the Home Office said, and three men were arrested.
About 437 migrants crossed the Channel on Friday in seven small boats, Home Office figures revealed.
The number of migrants who have crossed the Channel this year now far surpasses that of previous years. By June 20 2024, 12,313 migrants had made the journey, compared to 10,518 in 2023 and 11,690 in 2022.
The figures come after The Telegraph reported migrants had vowed they would 'never give up' trying to reach Britain, despite the stricter measures set to come into force in France.
Jamal, a 24-year-old Sudanese man, said: 'If the police stop us in the water when we try to reach the boats, then we will go back to the beach the next day or the next week. We'll never give up.'
Until now, the French have refused to intervene in the water because they claim maritime laws prevent them from taking action that could put lives at sea at risk.
But the new strategy will see 'taxi boats' packed with migrants intercepted in shallow waters off Channel beaches.
When The Telegraph visited Calais on Friday, there were signs that French police were taking a more interventionist approach in the migrant crisis, in response to criticism by the British Government.
On Tuesday, No 10 admitted that the migrant crisis was 'deteriorating'.
A spokesman said: 'Migration should be a key focus given the deteriorating situation in the Channel, they confirmed, adding that they should continue to work closely with other partners to find innovative ways to drive forward progress.'
