A mega-dinghy carrying 140 asylum seekers completed an unprecedented 70-mile crossing of the English Channel from Normandy to Portsmouth, highlighting potential new routes for people smugglers and sparking significant protests upon arrival. The vessel, which departed from the Baie de Seine in Normandy, undertook one of the longest small boat journeys recorded.
French rescue vessels, including five boats and two helicopters, shadowed the dinghy for approximately ten hours, providing assistance including distributing lifejackets to the migrants, before the craft entered British waters. French authorities stated that intercepting the overcrowded vessel was too dangerous. British Coastguard assets, including lifeboats, a helicopter, and a fixed-wing aircraft, then took over the escort for the final four hours of the journey, bringing the migrants ashore on Sunday afternoon.
Upon arrival in Portsmouth, anti-migrant demonstrators gathered on Eastney Beach, with some wading into the sea to protest. The group chanted slogans such as "stop the boats" and "enough is enough." Later, approximately 500 people reportedly blocked roads in an attempt to prevent the migrants from being transported to processing centers in Kent, a demonstration that continued into the early hours of Monday morning. Riot police were deployed to disperse the crowds.
Details emerged that the dinghy, a 46ft inflatable, experienced motor failure approximately 14 miles off the French coast. Search and rescue operatives described the migrants on board as being in distress and noted that only a few were wearing lifejackets. After a second outboard motor was made to work, the vessel continued its journey to the UK.
The Hampshire and Isle of Wight Police and Crime Commissioner, Donna Jones, expressed concern that a shift in migrant destinations away from Dover could pose a significant issue for the country. She noted that if this trend continues, protestor numbers may grow. "This is just the start, if this continues, these numbers will grow from the protesters. They were making their point that they don't want Portsmouth to become a destination," Jones stated.
This incident follows a similar protest in Dover earlier in the week, where hundreds of demonstrators blocked roads leading to the port. Politicians have commented on the situation, with Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp criticizing the French authorities' approach and stating that current measures are not working. Government minister Emma Reynolds condemned the protests in Portsmouth as "thuggish and intimidating."
The crossing occurred in the same week that Prime Minister Andy Burnham and French President Emmanuel Macron met to discuss efforts to reduce small boat crossings. The journey from Baie de Seine, a location noted as being far from typical departure points, suggests a deliberate strategy by people smugglers to exploit new routes. The Maritime Prefecture for the English Channel and the North Sea confirmed the escort operation was a safety measure due to the "structural fragility" of the vessels involved.