MADNESS: How can only two patrol boats protect Britain
‘Two cutters for the whole coastline is frankly ridiculous’
BRITAIN has left itself wide open to terrorism and illegal immigration because its sea defences are so inadequate, it was claimed last night.
It comes as a report revealed just two Border Force ships are currently able to patrol 7,723 miles of UK coastline, with a third held in reserve.
Border inspectors said its other two cutters – vessels built for speed to patrol large areas – are deployed in the Mediterranean and Aegean in response to the European migrant crisis.
Britain’s pitiful capability compares to 600 cutters patrolling the Italian coastline and 147 covering Spanish waters.
Despite heightened security threats the number of hours spent at sea by the British cutters dropped from 11,137 in 2015 to 9,497 last year.
It comes as experts raise concern that small ports, harbours and marinas are ripe for exploitation by people smugglers because they remain unguarded.
Clambered
Dover MP Charlie Elphicke said: “We are hearing about more and more attempts to smuggle illegal immigrants into this country at beaches, inlets and small ports.
“Two cutters for the whole coastline is frankly ridiculous. We need more investment so the whole border is secure. How many more small craft are landing along our shores and breaking into Britain undetected?
“This underlines why we need more trained officers and more patrol boats – not some Dad’s Army-style volunteer scheme.”
More than 60 suspected migrants have entered the UK through Kent in the past week alone.
At the weekend a group of nine from Iran were found clambering on rocks near Folkestone after crossing the Channel in a small boat.
On Friday, a dinghy carrying seven suspected migrants was found on a beach near Dover two days after three boats carrying 22 suspected migrants, including a woman and toddler, were picked up off Ramsgate.
On Tuesday, a French fishing boat thought to have been stolen was stopped as it entered the Port of Dover with 17 suspected migrants on board.
In a separate incident, seven suspected migrants were found hidden in a lorry at Dover docks. Former UK Border Force director-general Tony Smith said: “I am very worried about this latest string of small boat arrivals at the Kent coast carrying predominantly Iranians.
“I do not remember such a concerted attempt to breach our borders in this way before now and it is clear that an organised smuggling gang is at work.
“We need to stop this now before somebody drowns.
“I doubt any of the new arrivals will be returned to France and that will simply fuel the pipeline.” Mr Elphicke added: “The most concerning thing is there seems to be no strategy for patrolling our borders.
“We need to see greater investment – and also a targeted approach with effective use of resources.”
The Home Office said: “We are alert to the risk posed by people attempting to reach the UK illegally via small boats. This year we have increased the number of coastal patrol vessels and, in light of recent events, have stepped up deployments along the southeast coast.
“We continue to work closely with law enforcement partners in the UK and overseas to tackle people smuggling at source.
“Nobody should put their life at risk attempting to smuggle themselves into the UK across the Channel.
“Thankfully, this route to the UK remains relatively rare.”