Stand off drowning migrants and report – or face prosecution, sailors warned

Maybe, the British government could, sent up offices so that these distressed people could apply for asylum, in Gibraltar, a British overseas territory and then carry onto England easier for them and legal

Kali2

You could put high fences all around the UK South shore and sell tickets perhaps ... it's an idea you would prefer I suppose !

Funds to Farage and co.

The high fences is an EU idea ... Greece, Hungary, Poland - still think its good?

I can assure you my comment WAS NOT A SUGGESTION - but written in despair of some of the comments here. Those Grans made me think of the 'Tricoteuses' who used to sit and knit in front of the guillotine, so they could enjoy the 'show'.

You know, this is an open forum- and I do wonder what the Press, including the French and other EU Press- would make of some of the comments here- and what would happen if it hit the headlines.

Good god, did the BBC really just say that 30 people have drowned?

MayBee70

The very words ‘processing centres’ makes my blood run cold….

Isn't what they call abatoirs?

I await the day when a prosecution is attempted against an RNLI crew for the rescue of migrants in danger. The RNLI are among the national household gods of the British (with very good reason) and I think all Hell would break loose.

One time I'm glad they are outside Government funding.

3 friends had exactly this dilemma some weeks back. They were delivering a sizeable boat ( more than capable of taking on board 50 migrants) from Essex to Portsmouth.
They were very aware when sailing off Dover that there was a possibility that they could see people in distress.
They were also aware that they could face people smuggling charges.
The seriousness of this: all 3 of these men are professionals on the water. That means they all have their ‘ tickets’ which they need to do the work they do.
If charged with people smuggling they would all loose their livelihoods.

Did anyone else see a recent Saving Lives At Sea, where a RNLI crew rescued 34 migrants crammed into a dinghy in mid Channel? They weren’t in immediate danger of drowning - none of them was actually in the water, but the engine had packed up so the flimsy vessel was out of control. It was freezing weather and most of them - including some children - had completely inadequate clothing, so dying of hypothermia would have been an imminent danger if they hadn’t been rescued in time.,

I can’t see any RNLI crew refusing to help in such circs. Nor do I believe that any British jury would convict them, if they were later charged with an offence.

Can someone explain to me why asylum seekers (political or economic) are so desperate to come to the UK that they will pay huge amounts to people smugglers and risk their and their families’ lives, despite passing through other perfectly safe countries in Europe? I accept that some may have family who are here legally but they must be a small minority. This is a genuine question to which I would like an answer. Please do not pile in on me for asking it.

I hope if the RNLI were to prosecuted in such circumstances, there would be a national outcry. Morally, we really would have hit rock bottom.

The only answer is to reinstate safe passage for these people.

Set up a proper and efficient department that deals with the matter and treat them with humanity and civilised behaviour.

MerylStreep it's disgraceful that people like your friends should be put in that position. Surely they would be in breach of international maritime law if they refused to help anyone in distress, and would be more likely to lose their tickets if they did so. Nobody should be threatened as they obviously felt that they were being.

18:05TopsyIrene06

I can understand how you feel TopsyIrene I apologise for my tongue in cheek post to you above,I can tell you are upset. Yes it is tragic that all these migrants have died, any death is sad. I don't know what the answer is other than stopping the dinghies leaving France, cracking down on the criminal smuggling gangs. Take care.

Germanshepherdsmum

Can someone explain to me why asylum seekers (political or economic) are so desperate to come to the UK that they will pay huge amounts to people smugglers and risk their and their families’ lives, despite passing through other perfectly safe countries in Europe? I accept that some may have family who are here legally but they must be a small minority. This is a genuine question to which I would like an answer. Please do not pile in on me for asking it.

Are you really so naive that you don't know?

They likely speak English
They have contacts/family here
Their country has UK links
We are a civilised country
There are jobs, and they want to work

Rather disingenuous to innocently request no pile-on.

Rosie51

I really don't believe there are many people who could actually ignore the plight of someone drowning, who they could help. And the further likelihood of those people being at sea at the time help was needed is even less. But I absolutely despair of people who can bring themselves to say or write that they would ignore a drowning person. No compassion, no self-awareness.

Wasn't there a scandal about the Australian navy being ordered to let refugees/migrants drown? I think it was maybe 10 years ago. I will have a google and see if I can find anything.

Please see Whitewavemark2 - that is what is needed I think. Yes I am extremely upset as I sit here in my warm house.

Germanshepherdsmum

Can someone explain to me why asylum seekers (political or economic) are so desperate to come to the UK that they will pay huge amounts to people smugglers and risk their and their families’ lives, despite passing through other perfectly safe countries in Europe? I accept that some may have family who are here legally but they must be a small minority. This is a genuine question to which I would like an answer. Please do not pile in on me for asking it.

I too find it difficult to understand.
If you are a genuine politic asylum seeker surely the first EU country you should claim asylum?
But these tragic people end up paying criminals to come to UK

I did read they believe its the land of free money and health care, no idea if that's true.
So unless they have family here why come?
So sad they put themselves at risk.

Those who took the money, who put them onto Boats overloaded today, let's hope their are found, and arrested for at least Manslaughter.
Those criminals are getting away now with Murder!

I did read they believe its the land of free money and health care, no idea if that's true.

Where did you read this?

www.abc.net.au/news/2014-12-02/navy-personnel-open-up-about-border-protection/5933260?nw=0&r=HtmlFragment

www.wsws.org/en/articles/2011/10/siev-o19.html

I think the 2nd link is the one I heard about. No wonder sailors have PTSD.

If you are a genuine politic asylum seeker surely the first EU country you should claim asylum? Most do that is why France and Germany have more asylum seekers than we do. I think the same is true of Italy/Greece/Spain.

We just get the spin not the full story.

So unless they have family here why come? Presumably some do have family here or friends or they speak English but don't speak French or have some other connection with Britain.

That’s the only conclusion I can come to Visgirl. I can see no other reason to take such a huge risk and spend so much money.

Germanshepherdsmum

Can someone explain to me why asylum seekers (political or economic) are so desperate to come to the UK that they will pay huge amounts to people smugglers and risk their and their families’ lives, despite passing through other perfectly safe countries in Europe? I accept that some may have family who are here legally but they must be a small minority. This is a genuine question to which I would like an answer. Please do not pile in on me for asking it.

If it anything like me in France, to obtain the French nationality you have to speak and write French. To get a job you have to more often than not speak French. I would think this would apply to getting English documents and jobs.
Most of these desperate people want to be with their families in England. French officials have offered asylum in France but it is refused. They have travelled through many countries with this aim, they have already crossed blazing deserts and the Mediterranean Sea. It’s all or nothing

Same in England mokryna if you want citizenship or work. There are so many coming here, I can’t think many have family who are already here legally. I have no idea how many are eventually granted asylum but doubtless someone here will know.

Speculation as to why people wish to seek asylum in the U.K. whilst an interesting discussion, does not alter the fact that they do.

As a civilised and one would hope a civilising nation, I would like to think that we treat them with respect and compassion.

£36 a week is not a lot - (impossible) to live on particularly if children are involved, which is why I think that a quick and efficient decision as to their status is necessary.

To stop smuggling gangs they can be stopped immediately by giving people safe passage.