CALAIS – Tom's Blog

By Dan Lyman

Four boats bearing dozens of migrants were intercepted crossing the English Channel on Sunday, according to reports.

A total of 39 migrants, all identifying themselves as Iranian nationals, were apprehended by authorities with U.K. Border Force and Kent Police.

“The first boat, which was stopped by the Border Force at 4.40am, contained nine people with the second incident happening at 6am – with five more people being detained in a rigid hulled inflatable boat (Rhib),” the Evening Standard reports.

Another two vessels carrying 11 and 14 migrants, respectively, were located and stopped at 7 am and 7:30 am.

“Border Force dealt with four incidents on November 17 after being alerted to small boats travelling across the Channel towards the U.K.,” a government spokeswoman said in a statement.

“The people from all boats were taken to Dover where they were medically assessed before being interviewed by immigration officials.”

The number of migrants crossing the English Channel has been steadily rising, with over 1,500 successfully completing the journey so far in 2019, a 500% increase from 2018.

In September, U.K. authorities intercepted 86 migrants illegally crossing the English Channel during a record-setting day.

British authorities revealed that migrants have become so emboldened by the lack of disciplinary action being taken against illegal crossers, some are simply calling police from their boats to arrange pick-up.

“Illegal migrants are ringing police to collect them from boats in the Channel because they are so sure of avoiding being returned to their countries, MPs have been told,” the London Times reported in February.

DAN LYMAN MARCH 04, 2019

The French port of Calais plunged into chaos after over 100 migrants stormed a ferry bound for the UK in what police are calling a “coordinated attack.”

A mob of migrants broke through a high-security area, and using dinghies and ladders, managed to charge aboard a DFDS Seaways-owned vessel after its arrival from Dover, with some climbing to the top of the ship’s exhaust funnel and others hiding in the ventilation system, the Daily Mail reports.

The port was temporarily closed, stranding some ships at sea and forcing others to cancel their journeys as authorities embarked on a search-and-rescue mission lasting more than 12 hours.

Emergency response teams reportedly battled difficult weather conditions in an attempt to root out invaders in and around the ship, and were also forced to rescue two who fell overboard.

More than 40 migrants were arrested, with most being released with only a warning, EuroNews reports.

A dozen suspects are slated to appear in court and a 36-year-old man from Mali has been identified as the operation’s “organizer” and sentenced to four months in prison, according to Intelligence Fusion.

Screen Shot 2019-03-04 at 2.58.13 PM

“This was a coordinated and simultaneous attack that did not allow the police, who had too few staff, to intervene,” said police union spokesman Gilles Debove.

Officials claim an escalation of migrants attempting to cross the English Channel is due to the looming Brexit deadline, with one source telling the Daily Mail, “this is something we can expect to see more of in the coming weeks.”

UK Border Force apprehended migrants crossing the Channel in boats of their own on four consecutive days last week.

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By Dan Lyman

A tractor-trailer was reduced to ashes and its driver badly beaten by a gang of 50 migrants who had set a fiery ambush on a French motorway near Calais, according to reports.

The Bulgarian trucker had attempted to ram through a blockade of flaming pallets erected by migrants on the ring road near Calais, a port hub for many trucks and passenger vehicles traveling to and from the UK.

The driver was taken to hospital after being assaulted by the migrants while he was trying to escape the truck, La Voix Du Nord reports.

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Some social media users shared images of the charred truck and its cargo, which were totally destroyed.

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A first (for me at least). Lorry stopped by migrant barricade on #Calais motorway, set alight last night pic.twitter.com/CadpfFmbsZ

— Paraic O'Brien (@paraicobrien) January 8, 2019

“A first (for me at least). Lorry stopped by migrant barricade on #Calais motorway, set alight last night,” wrote Channel 4 New reporter Paraic O’Brien.

Migrants attempting to commandeer or stowaway inside trucks bound for the UK have become regular occurrences in the Calais region with videos of brazen hijackings and attacks sometimes caught on video.

Police were unable to locate suspects involved in the most recent incident as all had reportedly fled the scene when authorities arrived.

Tag: CALAIS

100 Migrants Swarm French Port, Storm Ferry in “Coordinated Attack”

The French port of Calais plunged into chaos after over 100 migrants stormed a ferry bound for the UK in what police are calling a “coordinated attack.”

Migrants Beat Driver, Incinerate Truck in France

A tractor-trailer was reduced to ashes and its driver badly beaten by a gang of 50 migrants who had set a fiery ambush on a French motorway near Calais, according to reports.