Royal Navy in Solent training exercise with UK Border Force over migrants crossing Channel

ROYAL Navy vessels have been running trials in the Solent in case crews are needed to help in the migrant crisis in the Channel.
By Millie Salkeld
Published 1st Sep 2020, 17:04 BST
Updated 1st Sep 2020, 17:50 BST
A group of people thought to be migrants are brought into Dover, Kent, by Border Force officers following a small boat incident in the Channel. Picture date: Tuesday September 1, 2020. Steve Parsons/PA WireA group of people thought to be migrants are brought into Dover, Kent, by Border Force officers following a small boat incident in the Channel. Picture date: Tuesday September 1, 2020. Steve Parsons/PA Wire
A group of people thought to be migrants are brought into Dover, Kent, by Border Force officers following a small boat incident in the Channel. Picture date: Tuesday September 1, 2020. Steve Parsons/PA Wire

Vessels and crews have been training in the Solent to ‘evaluate’ how patrol boats may be deployed to assist the UK Border Force in the Channel.

But the Ministry of Defence has said ‘no decision has been made on any future deployment’.

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More than 5,000 migrants have crossed to the UK in small boats so far in 2020, according to PA news agency.

A Ministry of Defence spokesman said: ‘Royal Navy vessels have participated in training with UK Border Force to evaluate how they might be used to support the Home Office in tackling Channel crossings.

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‘This is still in the trial stage and no decision has been made on any future deployment.’

It comes as the MoD confirmed an Army Watchkeeper drone, previously used in Afghanistan, is to fly over the English Channel to monitor migrant boats as the crisis continues.

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An MoD spokesperson said: ‘The deployment of Watchkeeper provides further defence support to the Home Office in tackling the increasing number of small boats crossing the English Channel.

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‘It will provide a leading surveillance and reconnaissance capability, feeding information back to the Border Force and allowing them to take appropriate action where necessary.’

A boat, bought with the proceeds of some of Banksy’s works, has been rescuing refugees in the Channel after organisers said European authorities are ‘leaving desperate people to drift helplessly at sea’.

The Louise Michel’s, a former French navy vessel, mission statement is ‘to uphold maritime law and rescue anyone in peril without prejudice’.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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Related topics:Royal NavyPoliceHome Office

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