Almost 11,000 migrants have crossed the Channel this year (Image: PA)
A fresh scandal has erupted in the Channel migrant crisis after a British Border Force vessel was left to rescue asylum seekers from French waters.
The dinghy, carrying dozens of people, broke down “half a mile to a mile” inside French waters on Tuesday, a witness claimed.
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But the French warship shadowing the dinghy did not intervene, despite fears some of the asylum seekers were signalling that they were in distress.
Under an agreement between Britain and France, French rescue vessels are supposed to take migrants in distress back to the shore.
The migrant crisis has been branded an emergency (Image: AFP via Getty Images)
The French have been heavily criticised for failing to stop more crossings (Image: AFP via Getty Images)
But Border Force Ranger “moved into French waters” and rescued the asylum seekers, before then continuing further to collect more migrants attempting the crossing on Tuesday morning.
A witness condemned the farce, declaring: “We have given them ￡490million to stop more boats and they seem to be as happy as ever. They seem to be very good business partners.
“The UK Border Force vessel moved into French waters as the dinghy had slowed up - I think the tubes were deflating.
“They were getting slower and slower and they came to a stop half a mile to a mile from the border.
“Some of those on board signalled they were in distress.
“If they were signalling that they were in distress, the French should have picked them up.
“They have broken their protocols.
“Once they picked up those people, they hung around and another French vessel stated they had another migrant boat and they motored further into French waters.
“It’s encouraging enough for the migrants when they can see the Border Force vessels waiting. Now they are getting into trouble and know they are still going to get picked up.
“If there are people in the water, absolutely, everyone should respond, but its primarily for the French to be looking after them when they are in their waters.”
An audio clip – heard by the Daily Express - revealed the French warship asking Border Force Ranger: “What are your intentions with the dinghy?”
A member of Border Force on BF Ranger then responded: “I am going to export that with the UK Coastguard.”
The French vessel responds: “Thank you for your co-operation.”
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp told the Daily Express: “This is a scandal. British vessels should not be picking up illegal immigrants in French waters - this is for the French to do.
“In fact, the French should be intercepting the illegal immigrants’ boats and taking them back to France.
“If they don’t do this, upon arrival in the UK the illegal immigrants should be rapidly removed to somewhere like Rwanda.
“They would then pretty soon stop coming in the first place.”
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said: “As we have given ￡500 million to the French to stop the boats, it is outrageous that their navy still escorts these boats to our 12 mile line and then hands them over to the UK taxi service. Only Reform UK will stop the boats.”
Former Border Force Chief Immigration Officer at Calais, Kevin Saunders, added: “The rule is that France operates in their half of the Channel and Border Force operates in the UK half.
“Over time we have seen the French escort migrant boats to the half-way point, where they are “rescued” by Border Force or RNLI.
“I was astonished to hear that the French have now taken another step backwards by asking the Border Force vessel Ranger to enter French territorial waters to pick up migrants and return them to Dover.
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“Firstly, if the vessel needed rescuing then the French were on hand, and secondly if Ranger or the RNLI had to do it then as they were in French waters the migrants should have been returned to France. We will never “stop the boats” if the French expect the UK to rescue everyone on the Channel.”
The Government’s Channel migrants plan is facing heavy criticism amid a record number of crossings so far this year.
At least three Border Force vessels brought groups of people into the Port of Dover in Kent after intercepting dinghies crossing the busiest shipping lanes in the World.
It comes as another 422 people in eight more boats were picked up mid-Channel on Tuesday, according to figures released by the Home Office.
Another 50 were rescued by French authorities after their boats got into difficulty.
On Monday 473 migrants in another eight inflatables were brought in by Border Force vessels.
It takes the number to arrive in just three days to 1,142.
A record 10,780 people have now been picked up so far this year – the highest number at this point of a year since records began in 2018.
Mr Farage added in Prime Minister’s Questions: "This year, 10,000 young, undocumented males have illegally crossed the English Channel into our country - a 40% increase on this time last year, many coming from cultures that are somewhat alien to ours."
"They are being housed at a cost of many billions of pounds a year in hotels, and increasingly in private rented homes. The effect on communities is one of a sense of deep unfairness, actually bordering on resentment.
"In Runcorn alone, there are 750 of these young men in just in one constituency alone.
"Is it not time to admit that smash the gangs was nothing more than an election slogan, and not a policy. Isn't it time to declare a national emergency and act accordingly?"
But the Prime Minister insisted: “We are passing a borders bill with extensive powers to smash the gangs.
"These are terrorist-like powers. They give powers to the police to intercept where they think the suspects are committing people smuggling, which is a vile trade. We must take back control of our borders after last government lost control.”
The UK and France are discussing a “one-for-one” agreement that will allow asylum seekers to join their family members already in the UK.
In return, illegal migrants who have successfully crossed the Channel will be taken back to France. London and Paris are working on a “pilot scheme” that could later be expanded into a wider European deal.
But critics warned it is unlikely to result in fewer migrants coming to the UK, while some fear the EU may try to force Labour to take in more people through safe and legal routes.
Home Office sources told the Daily Express the first “hurdle” is to test whether a returns deal – either bilateral or even multilateral – is possible “at any scale”.
But this newspaper understands the Government is privately delighted Paris has even begun to discuss a returns deal – after years of refusing to do so.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper is said to have a very good relationship with her French counterpart, Bruno Retailleau.
Mr Retailleau admitted returning asylum seekers to France would “send a clear message” that could act as a deterrent to those considering risking their lives.
It marks a significant positional shift in Paris, which has previously refused to consider a bilateral migrant deal.
French president Emmanuel Macron has insisted Britain must strike a returns deal with the EU – something the Government has so far refused to do.
Mr Retailleau said: “I do think that there must be an agreement that we can come to, a bilateral agreement between governments.
“Because we see many of those who land on British soil don’t come back. Even when one has crossed the Channel, if one is sent back that will send a clear message.”
A Home Office spokesperson said: “We all want to end dangerous small boat crossings, which threaten lives and undermine our border security.
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“The people-smuggling gangs do not care if the vulnerable people they exploit live or die, as long as they pay and we will stop at nothing to dismantle their business models and bring them to justice.
“That is why this government has put together a serious plan to take down these networks at every stage.
“Through international intelligence sharing under our Border Security Command, enhanced enforcement operations in Northern France and tougher legislation in the Border Security and Asylum Bill, we are strengthening international partnerships and boosting our ability to identify, disrupt, and dismantle criminal gangs whilst strengthening the security of our borders."