The Hayling Ferry company has condemned Border Force after its services were suspended on Sunday evening to allow 140 migrants to disembark in Portsmouth. Ferry operator Colin Hill stated that the disruption resulted in the loss of approximately half a day's takings.
Border Force officials instructed the ferry to cease operations and avoid the Eastney pontoon while the migrants were brought ashore by two RNLI lifeboats. This diversion caused inconvenience for passengers already on Hayling Island, necessitating a reroute to Southsea Marina.
"Eastney is a totally unsuitable harbour to bring migrants into. There's only one way in and one way out with the road. There was no plan B to get the migrants away," Hill commented, emphasizing the unsuitability of the commercial pontoon for such an operation. He questioned the authority under which Border Force ordered the ferry service halt.
The RNLI lifeboats were directed to Eastney after receiving clearance from Southampton Port and Portsmouth Harbour was denied. French authorities, using five boats and two helicopters, had shadowed the vessel carrying the migrants from Normandy, but the French volunteer rescue organization, SNSM, deemed it too risky to transfer the migrants aboard their own boats, leaving the task to the RNLI.
Hill also raised concerns about the French authorities' actions, suggesting they could have intercepted the migrants in their own waters. "The French could have stopped it in their waters. I think facilitating an illegal entry into the UK is a criminal offence," he stated. He questioned the necessity of the RNLI's presence without a May Day call.
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp criticized France's approach, warning that its failure to intervene earlier in migrant crossings puts lives at risk. He cited the deaths of approximately 100 individuals attempting the Channel crossing and drew comparisons to Belgian and Australian efforts to stop boats at sea. Philp also linked this to the UK's £660 million payment to France, suggesting the funds should be contingent on greater French intervention.
The RNLI has previously faced scrutiny and online criticism for its role in migrant rescues. The charity's chief executive, Peter Sparkes, reiterated that the RNLI's mission is to save lives at sea, and all rescued individuals are handed over to UK immigration authorities. He characterized illegal immigration as a political issue separate from the RNLI's life-saving mandate.
A Home Office spokesperson highlighted the government's efforts to curb small boat crossings, noting a decrease in arrivals between June and August compared to 2020. Meanwhile, two police vehicles were stationed near the RNLI's Eastney base as a precautionary measure following potential public order concerns.
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