Migrant Crossing Attempt Thwarted as Numbers Surge Despite New Deterrent

A group of migrants attempting to reach Britain were forced to abandon their vessel near Gravesline beach, about 26 kilometers north of Calais. Approximately twelve young men were seen waiting near the shore, hoping to be joined by others. However, French police intervened, firing tear gas at the group as they attempted to reach the boat. This caused the group to retreat back into the sand dunes. Patrol vehicles and drones were deployed to monitor the area and prevent further attempts.

The dinghy, launched around 4 am GMT, appeared to be in poor condition and was reportedly losing air. After nearly an hour of navigating the coast, the migrants on board disembarked near the shoreline, leaving the boat behind. French gendarmes then approached the abandoned dinghy and punctured it with knives, a tactic recently employed to disrupt Channel crossings.

One asylum seeker, preparing to cross to Britain with a group of Vietnamese nationals, stated that around 200 others remained hidden in the dunes, with more boat launches reportedly planned. By 6 am, the group had dispersed, likely returning to their makeshift camps to await another opportunity.

This incident occurred amidst a backdrop of increased migrant arrivals. On Friday, July 11th, five boats carrying 353 migrants arrived in Britain, following 573 arrivals the previous day. This situation unfolded less than 48 hours after the announcement of a new migrant deterrent deal between the British Prime Minister and the French President.

The new scheme involves returning illegal immigrants arriving in Britain to France in exchange for asylum seekers with family connections in the UK. However, reports suggest that only 50 people will be returned to France each week. Despite the new deterrent, migrants in Calais expressed their intention to continue attempting the crossing. This year, over 21,000 migrants have made the journey, a 50% increase compared to the same period last year, bringing the total number since the Prime Minister's tenure to 44,000.