Border Force boat fleet axed from patrolling the Channel – for vessels used to service wind farms | SWFQ8AZ | 2024-02-15 06:08:01
The large operation has been left to a fleet of personal vessels usually used for servicing
OFFICIAL Border Pressure cutters have been totally withdrawn from patrolling the English Channel for migrants on small boats.
The large operation has been left to a fleet of personal vessels usually used for servicing wind farms – costing the taxpayer up to £36million a yr.
Home Office officials have quietly admitted that final yr not one of the Government-owned cutters or coastal patrol vessels have been used to cope with individuals making an attempt to succeed in the UK crossing from France.
The ageing fleet of 5 cutters is due to get replaced and final yr no less than three spent lengthy durations being repaired or serviced.
It has led to the House Workplace forking out on the fleet of personal catamarans.
They're usually used for offshore wind farms however at the moment are the UK's only Channel patrols.
Of 604 small boat incidents final yr, 544 have been intercepted by business transfer vessels whereas the remaining have been carried out by the RNLI.
House Workplace minister Michael Tomlinson revealed the five cutters and 6 coastal patrol vessels were not used at all.
In a written parliamentary answer he says: "Throughout 2023, the Cutter & CPV fleet didn't provide help to small boat operations in the South East region.
"As an alternative, Border Force utilised a fleet of 5 Business Switch Vessels (CTVs) – Defender, Hurricane, Ranger, Hurricane and Volunteer."
Border Drive officers are on board the CTV vessels but the crews are personal seamen.
The House Office stated: "Giant boats like Cutters and Coastal Patrol Vessels aren't appropriate for rescue and recovery operations.
Various vessels are better outfitted for the English Channel, and return specialist Border Drive gear to protect the rest of the UK's border."
Labour's Shadow House Secretary, Yvette Cooper, stated: "The Tory Government is completely failing to get a grip of our border safety. They should be using all the specialist assets we've acquired to cease harmful boat crossings in small boats. "
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