- This year, a record number—more than 40,000—people have made such crossings.
- The Kermorvan patrol ship will be in the port of Calais in a few days, according to the French Coastguard, while the Lapérouse survey vessel has just arrived.
- In comparison to just 50 in 2020, 12,000 Albanians have entered the UK in small boats so far this year.
In order to deal with the rising number of migrants seeking to reach the UK, France claims it is expanding the number of rescue boats in the English Channel.
The French Coastguard describes the deployment of two more vessels as “unprecedented.”
The French response to the incident in November 2021, in which 27 individuals drowned while attempting to cross to the UK in a dinghy, was criticised after that.
This year, a record number—more than 40,000—people have made such crossings.
The Kermorvan patrol ship will be in the port of Calais in a few days, according to the French Coastguard, while the Lapérouse survey vessel has just arrived.
According to it, their deployment will improve the coastguard’s capacity for rescue operations in the Channel-North Sea region.
To try to discourage channel crossings in tiny boats, the UK decided last month to increase payments to France by £8 million ($10 million) a year to £63 million.
The funds will be used to boost beach surveillance in France, and UK police personnel will have access to patrols inside of France.
Over the course of five months, it is anticipated that the number of French coast guard officers will increase from roughly 250 to 350.
An enormous increase in the number of Albanian nationals travelling this year has been partially attributed for the increased numbers of migrants making the Channel crossing this year (the Channel is known as La Manche in France).
In comparison to just 50 in 2020, 12,000 Albanians have entered the UK in small boats so far this year.
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