‘Iranian Refugees’ Reach British Shores After Stealing a Fishing Boat
Reports indicate that 17 Iranian migrants reached British shores early Tuesday morning after stealing a French fishing boat and crossing the English Channel, where they were intercepted by the country’s coast guard forces.
According to the French news agency, British authorities have confirmed that these 17 migrants, including three children, managed to reach British shores early Tuesday morning by stealing a 12-meter fishing boat near the port of Calais in France.
Meanwhile, French maritime authorities have called this migrants’ action “unprecedented” and stated that previously, migrants had attempted to reach Britain in small boats, which mostly failed.
The British Home Office also announced in a statement that this group of migrants was stopped upon entering Dover port. “They are 14 men and three children, and all have identified themselves as Iranian.”
A spokesman for the British Home Office also stated that asylum applications from these individuals are being reviewed, and the three children have been handed over to social services.
Reports also indicate that three other small boats were intercepted by the British coast guard in Kent on Wednesday, whose passengers are likely Iranian.
According to BBC World Service, the passengers of one of these small boats were “seven men, one woman, and one small child,” and 10 other men were found in another boat.
According to this report, British coast guard forces initially became aware at 4:30 that the passengers of a boat in the southwestern shipping lane were in distress and went to assist these refugees. The second boat was found at 9 o’clock.
The report adds that five passengers from another boat were also rescued a few miles off the coast of Ramsgate.
The French news agency states that thousands of migrants from the Middle East and Africa are attempting to reach British shores.
The coastal city of Calais has the shortest sea route between France and Britain, and since the dismantling of the camp known as the “Jungle” in this city, many refugees living in Calais have intensified their efforts to reach British soil.
Source: Radio Farda
