French taxi service to British waters...

PRESSURE is intensifying on the French government to fulfil its promise to intercept migrants’ boats “as soon as possible” to prevent more deaths in the Channel.

- Michael Knowles

France’s interior minister, Bruno Retailleau has vowed to “rethink our approach” after talks with UK Home Secretary Yvette Cooper and directly intervene to stop the inflatables leaving French waters.

But yesterday a Daily Express team witnessed a deathtrap boat being escorted by the French naval safety ship Ridens and a smaller boat to the median line in the Channel — where up to 60 migrants were then taken to Dover by the UK Border Force vessel Typhoon.

French officials had spent hours shadowing the inflatable — packed mostly with men — across the seaway after spotting it at 5.50 am, some 1.3 miles off their coast.

The migrants could be heard shouting and waving at the French navy vessel as their dinghy, which had already begun taking on water, struggled to break through the waves.

But the French radioed UK Border Force staff to race out to the vessel and continued to shadow it towards English waters, before the passengers were eventually taken on board the Typhoon. A witness said: “This was a complete taxi service.”

Escorted

The observer went on: “The French said these migrants were distressed and needed help. But it didn’t rescue them. Instead they asked Britain. When Britain were not keen, the French simply escorted them into British water. It’s appalling.”

Border Security Commander Martin Hewitt travelled to Calais and Paris yester- day to urge French officials to quickly stop migrants’ dinghies once they are launched.

Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said: “These are shocking photos. The French should have stopped this boat near their shores and not ushered it into UK waters.