The death of twenty-seven adults and minors does not stop the attempts of the illegals to cross the English Channel in fragile boats
There was no bilateral agreement on Thursday between the United Kingdom and France to reinforce the surveillance of the Gallic coast with joint patrols and intensify operations against the mafias that transport refugees to England. But the death of 27 people the day before, when they tried to cross the English Channel, forced a commitment from their respective leaders. Emmanuel Macron and Boris Johnson agreed “to do everything possible to stop the gangs” and called for international cooperation. For now, Paris called for a meeting in Calais on Sunday with ministers from Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany and Great Britain.
Meanwhile, boats full of migrants continued to approach southern England. The tragedy of the day before, which cost the lives of seven women, seventeen men and three minors, did not deter some 600 individuals from going to sea in precarious boats. A front of rain and wind is looming in the English southeast and commentators suggested that the opportunity to cross the Channel would close this Thursday. The stable weather of November has shot above 6,000 those who arrived by this route, adding more than 25,700 people so far this year, according to data from the PA agency.
The lack of agreement between France and the United Kingdom slows down the launch of joint patrols and the fight against mafias
The British Government wants to send police reinforcements to the north of France and this Thursday renewed its collaboration proposal, which Paris rejected for the sake of sovereignty. The Interior Minister, Priti Patel, specified the offer of “joint cooperation” in a conversation she had with her French counterpart, Gérald Darmanin. “I have offered to work with France to place more agents on the ground and do whatever it takes to secure the area so that the vulnerable do not risk their lives by riding on unseaworthy boats,” he informed the Commons.
A “complicated” matter
The minister acknowledged that the “matter is complicated and there is no simple solution.” “It involves a Herculaneum effort and will be impossible without the close cooperation of all international partners and agencies,” he added. Patel avoided confrontation with the Paris Executive, which Johnson accused the night before of “not doing enough” to mitigate the problem. The prime minister alluded in the same message to the 54 million pounds (about 63 million euros) that the British Treasury has committed to reinforce the surveillance of French beaches.
The British complaint has been repeated on previous occasions and this Thursday it was accompanied by specific images. Several media published photographs and a video in which a group of apparent migrants is seen dragging an outboard to shore in full view of a police vehicle. “Embarrassing,” he titled “The Sun.” “Why didn’t France stop them?” questioned the morning METRO.
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