Rescued from a dinghy in the Channel, 9 Albanians on night crossing to Britain
NINE Albanians were rescued from a dinghy adrift in the Channel as they tried to reach Britain. The eight men and a woman were forced to dial 999 when their small inflatable was caught in gales in the world’s busiest shipping lane.
The group set out on a clandestine nighttime mission to reach the english coast despite terrifying sea conditions as winds reached nearly 50mph.
Two lifeboats and a helicopter were scrambled to find the 22ft rigid hull inflatable boat and rescued them some 20 miles south of eastbourne in east Sussex.
All nine were taken ashore by lifeboat and handed over to Border Force officers. Two of the men were arrested on suspicion of people smuggling and a third was held later.
The group said they were from Albania, according to the Home Office, and several passports from the east european country were seized. The nine are believed to have set out from Boulogne in France on Tuesday night and were brought ashore in Britain on Wednesday.
Despite the wintry conditions, some wore only jeans and hooded sweatshirts, and were given blankets and jackets by their rescuers. They were checked for hypothermia and exposure after their hours in the open sea, before being taken for questioning.
Their abandoned boat was towed into eastbourne’s Sovereign Harbour later, and appeared to have only been equipped with a few flimsy lifejackets and two life belts.
A Maritime and Coastguard Agency spokesman said lifeboats were sent from Dover and Dungeness after police received a 999 call from the boat, which was in difficulty. The two suspected people smugglers were taken for questioning by the national Crime Agency and the seven other suspected illegal migrants were detained by Border Force officials.
A third man was arrested later but is not believed to have been on board the boat.
Martin Grace, nCA senior investigating officer, said: ‘This incident demonstrates the dangers associated with attempts to cross the Channel in this manner. It is extremely fortunate that all those on this vessel were able to be recovered safe and well. An investigation is underway.’
Intelligence reports have suggested that people smugglers charge up to £13,000 for a place on a boat across the Channel.
Some illegal migrants are brought in bigger vessels before being dropped in dinghies and told to call 999 for rescue, although it was not known if that happened in this case. Dover MP Charlie elphicke said: ‘This underlines yet again the extreme lengths people will go to, risking their lives to break into Britain. Crossing the english Channel in a small inflatable boat during winter is about as dangerous as it gets.
‘We must be more vigilant than ever and protect our borders.’
French president emmanuel Macron has demanded another £45million for extra measures to stop migrant stowaways using cross-Channel lorries, trains and ferries to get to Britain. However, people smugglers use routes into smaller harbours and marinas to avoid heightened security checks at the Channel Tunnel and major ports.
In May 2016, 18 Albanians were rescued from a sinking dinghy off the coast of Kent. Later that month another 17 were found on board a catamaran in West Sussex.
‘As dangerous as it gets’