Migrant on a stolen PEDALO was among 200 people who tried to make the perilous journey from France to England
- Around 200 migrants tried to cross The Channel from France on Sunday, July 12
- Border Force stopped around 15 boats, one of which was carrying 22 people
- One desperate migrant stole a pedalo from a French beach and tried to cross
A desperate migrant stole a pedalo from a French beach and tried to cross The Channel into England on a day when 200 people tried to make the journey.
On Sunday, July 12, Border Force officials, together with HM Coastguard and the RNLI, stopped around 200 people in 15 vessels trying to make their way to the English coast.
Warm weather saw people smugglers take advantage of calm waters, on the same day Home Secretary Priti Patel travelled to Calais to discuss the illegal crossings with French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin.
Around 200 migrants were picked up by Border Force and HM Coastguard on Sunday, July 12
A source told The Sun: ‘Many migrants see it as a “now or never” moment before the UK government cracks down on crossings.
‘They fear there will be a major push to curb the attempts and see July as their best opportunity.’
Two other migrants tried to make the crossing in a canoe, while the source told The Sun the pedalo thief ‘wouldn’t have stood a chance,’ if he had tried to cross during stormy weather.
Speaking on the same day as the mass crossings, Priti Patel said: ‘I have been in France today seeing first-hand the significant work undertaken on that side of the Channel to address the unacceptably high levels of small boats, alongside the efforts of Border Force and the National Crime Agency in the UK.
A source said the migrant ‘wouldn’t have stood a chance,’ if he’d tried to make the journey in a pedalo during stormy weather
Around 200 people tried to cross from France to England, during calm conditions on the English Channel
‘But despite all of the action taken by law enforcement to date – intercepting the boats, making arrests, returning people to France and putting the criminals responsible behind bars – the numbers continue to increase.
‘This simply cannot be allowed to go on.
‘I have signed an agreement with the French to create a joint intelligence cell which will crack down on the gangs behind this vile people smuggling operation and impressed on my French counterpart the need to stop these illegal crossings for the benefit of both our countries.
‘This is the start of a new operational approach with the newly appointed French Interior Minister.’