Nigel Farage has blasted the French Navy, claiming they have lacked decisive action in their handling of the Channel migrant crisis.
It comes after a tragic day on the Channel that saw the deaths of five people, including a child, as they were attempting to cross to English waters.
Speaking on GB News, the former Brexit Party leader said he was “struck” by the story and a particular detail that he believes suggests the French Navy are only serving to assist criminal traffickers.
“The thing that really stands out from this incident to me is obviously the sad loss of life”, he said.
Nigel Farage says the French Navy is working on behalf of traffickers
GB NEWS / GETTY
“That’s 14 people I think that have died that we know of so far on the Channel this year.
“What really stands out is that massively overcrowded boat is stuck on a sandbank which indicates it wasn’t one of the more professional gangs because they would know their tides and know their sandbanks.
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“What really strikes me is, five people go overboard and drown, the French Navy come and take other people off and still escort that boat.
“The French Navy are effectively working for the traffickers. They are taking that boat to British waters.
“At what point politically do we say to the French, ‘you have got to stop acting as agents of the traffickers?’.”
GB News Home and Security Editor Mark White commented on the matter to say it’s a “point of huge contention”.
Five migrants died while making the perilous trip across the Channel
GB NEWS
Mark White joined Nigel Farage on GB News
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“People present this as a new phenomenon that the French are escorting these vessels”, he said.
“But this has been happening for years now. The French say very publicly that the reason they are doing this is because they do or have tried to persuade migrants to get onboard their boat and return to France.
“They have refused and threatened to jump into the water or whatever the particular circumstance of the refusal was.
“So the French say that rather than cause an incident in which people could potentially lose their lives, they stand off the escort until it reaches UK waters.”
The deaths happened just hours after the Rwanda law cleared Parliament.
The legislation is aimed at deterring migrants from making the perilous trip across the Channel, and Rishi Sunak said yesterday the “tragic” incident “underscores” its need.
The Prime Minister believes the scheme will “deter vulnerable migrants from making perilous crossings” and break the business model of the criminal gangs organising the boats.
He added criminal gangs are “exploiting vulnerable people” and “packing more and more people into these unseaworthy dinghies”.
Home Secretary James Cleverly said: “These tragedies have to stop. I will not accept a status quo which costs so many lives.
“This Government is doing everything we can to end this trade, stop the boats and ultimately break the business model of the evil people smuggling gangs, so they no longer put lives at risk.”