As French police officers stood watching, they filmed migrants cheering and applauding as they launched dinghies from France’s coast to cross the English Channel.
Video footage shot on Tuesday, the day more than 1,000 migrants arrived in the UK, showed groups of young migrants celebrating the start of their boat’s engines on Calais beaches.
In the clip, taken by local jogger Franck Viandier, dozens of migrants crowded around the small boat and helped to push it into the water while children clapped and cheered with excitement as they prepared to cross the Channel.
Other footage obtained by ITV News showed dozens of migrants wearing life jackets carrying a small dinghy down to the sea while French Gendarmerie officers stood by on the shore and watched.
Some officers were seen holding their phones up and filming scenes while others stood silent as migrants launched a boat believed to be headed for the UK.
Two 50ft boats were seen departing from Calais’ beaches, near Wimereux. The beach was unoccupied at that time, but police arrived 24 hours later.
This Tuesday’s video footage – on the exact same day as a record number of immigrants made it to Britain – featured groups of young migrants celebrating the fact that they were able to start their boats engines at Calais.
In one video, dozens of migrants were seen wearing life jackets and dragging small boats down to sea. French Gendarmerie officers watched from the shore while others were filming on phones.
Authorities are finding it difficult to prevent migrants from crossing the Channel by launching their boats in France from a stretch of 100 miles. Pictured: On Tuesday, dozens of migrants were seen crowding around the dinghy at Calais’ beach.
Mr Viandier, who jogs along a Calais beach every morning, said he believes the Gendarmerie officers are doing their best amid the migrant crisis, saying that it is not ‘their job’ to fight migrants if they want to cross to England.
He told ITV News: ‘Sometimes there is a lot of police, I can see the fight sometimes. I was told by them that they don’t have the authority to engage in combat with such people. They also said, “It isn’t our job to fight these people. People want to go England. We are French police.”
France says it has 950 officers stationed in Calais every day to stop illegal Channel crossings.
It is difficult for authorities to stop migrants from crossing the Channel by stopping them. Migrants are able to launch their boats in France from a 100-mile stretch on the beach. According to officials, around half the crossings made in this year’s count were stopped.
Meanwhile, Clandestine Channel Threat Commander Dan O’Mahoney said the UK’s offer to set up joint patrols with the French was rebuffed.
He added: ‘We constantly discuss operational options with the French, we have offered to conduct joint patrols. The French did not accept it, but they continue to entertain the idea.
It comes after a lifeboat was scrambled to rescue 23 people from a boat in the Channel today, as it was revealed that around 1,000 more migrants were detained on Tuesday.
Franck Viandier took one video of dozens and dozens of migrants in one small boat pushing it into the water. As children cheered, they were clapping and cheering as they crossed the Channel.
While Gendarmerie officers were recording migrants departing from the beach with their smartphones, others watched and watched, as migrants tried to get aboard a boat to go to the UK, some stood aside and didn’t intervene.
While official numbers are still to be announced, there is concern that Tuesday’s number could exceed the 1,185 total reached on Thursday last week as the migrant crisis escalates. Because of the number of migrants arriving in Europe, these numbers took nearly two days to compute.
Yesterday’s daily record was 853; overall, this year there were more than 21,000 crossings.
This morning, an RNLI Dover lifeboat was launched just after 5.30am at the request of the UK Coastguard following reports of a grey dinghy in distress.
Numerous 999 calls were placed to the rescue center in an attempt to get assistance.
A lifeboat crew said that 23 people were also on the 6-foot gray rib, which had been caught in rough seas. Rescue and recovery operations were launched using a helicopter to airlift a victim to the hospital.
Coastguard spokesmen confirmed that the Coastguard had coordinated a rescue operation in response to an incident off Kent. They were working closely with Border Force as well as other partners. Lydd RNLI lifeboat and Dover Coastguard helicopter were used to transport the coastguard helicopter.
The Home Office has confirmed that 66 migrants attempted to cross the Channel by three different boats, on Wednesday. French authorities stopped another 43 migrants from crossing the Channel in three smaller boats.
After it was revealed that Channel migrants could be quickly-tracked from Albania to an off-shore processing facility in Britain, this news comes as a follow-up.
Ministers have been discussing the possibility of opening an asylum center in Eastern Europe. They believe this would be a deterrent to migrants coming from France.
As migrants attempt to cross the Channel, they continue to launch small boats from the coast in Wimereux and Calais.
A RNLI Dover lifeboat was launched just after 5.30am on Thursday morning at the request of the UK Coastguard in Dover to rescue a boat in distress
The lifeboat crew stated that there were 23 others on the grey rib, which was 6 feet long and caught in rough seas. The helicopter was observed flying to hospital and came up with the rescue and recovery plan.
Border Force personnel escort migrants into Dover harbour, after they have crossed the Channel. The crisis is continuing
It is unknown how many people made it today. However, the fact that this happened after Tuesday when nearly 1,000 were detained.
Following crossing the channel today, the Border Force detained a new arrival migrant who was onboard a bus to Dover harbour.
The arrivals today come at a time when ministers talk about opening an Albanian asylum centre. This would serve as deterrent to immigrants crossing from France.
According to The Times, anyone who seeks asylum in Britain from someone arriving illegally (e.g. in boats and dinghies) would be taken out to the new centre in seven days.
However, the project could cost the British taxpayer £100,000 per migrant for flights and accommodation.
An unnamed minister stated that offshore processing was the best option now as there is no other way to make it work.
Reports of earlier plans to build offshore processing centers using North Sea disused oil rigs – that were discussed last year – proved futile.
However, the chances of securing a deal in Tirana are now “looking good”, a UK government source stated, even though OltaXhacka, the Albanian foreign minister, had rejected the idea last month.
Priti Patel (Home Secretary) pledged this week to end ‘100%’ of Channel crossings into France. This latest development comes amid the crisis in the migration sector.
Paris contradicted her claims that she had signed the agreement with Gerald Darmanin, French counterpart.
Clandestine Channel Threat Commander Dan O’Mahoney stated that there is a worldwide migration crisis. The number of migrants arriving in the UK was unacceptable.
“We must collaborate closely with our European partners and international partners in order to target the ruthless organized criminal gangs behind the deadly crossing. I welcome the French Government’s commitment to intensify action to stop crossings. This includes increased surveillance, intelligence sharing, deployment of frontline operation and enhanced monitoring
The New Plan for Immigration is designed to fix the current system, end the deadly business model used by people smugglers, prevent more deaths and save lives.
Dominic Raab (Deputy Prime Minister) confirmed that the government is considering processing migrants crossing the Channel by small boats from overseas.
LBC Radio spoke with him. Better for migrants is to relocate closer to home.
“But in order to decrease the flow to the UK, it is important to work with all our partner countries – we have looked at Australia’s experience, talked with Danes and want to make sure that processing can take place elsewhere if possible. That will depend on partners’ good will and cooperation.
When asked if the plan would include Rwanda and Albania, he replied: “Let me not talk about any individual country. We are investigating this idea with our international partners because it is something that we really want to try. Because we know we have to do all we can to solve this problem.”
Pressed if the plan will cost £100,000 per migrant, he said: ‘I don’t recognise that number. I doubt we will be able cost the plan until you have an agreement in writing with one country.
MailOnline has learned that the French police have set up an alternative camp for migrants who were evicted in Dunkirk by their former camp.
To keep their dreams alive, others have set up tents in the woods less that half a mile from their burned camp.
This crowded camp was located on an abandoned area of industrial land. It was home to approximately 1,500 migrants before being closed by Grand-Synthe police near Dunkirk.
MailOnline was witness to at least two boats of migrants departing from Calais on Tuesday.
An RNLI boat brought around 40 migrants to Dungeness Tuesday. Two exhausted women had to be carried onto the shore. They were not the same people pictured in France.
In return for their asylum, the French government offered the possibility of taking the residents of the camp by coach to refuges in France.
They refused to take the offer as they were afraid it would affect their long-term goals to travel to the UK.
Today small numbers of migrants returned to the camp in their original form and broke through security fences built by police as a last-ditch effort to keep them out.
MailOnline saw the pathetic scenes of ex-camp residents digging through rubbish and piles left over from mass eviction.
The migrants piled their old clothes, beds, and other items into trolleys that they then took to their new homes.
To fuel their campfires, others took pallets of construction materials and made other items from the flattened shelters.
Most migrants, including those with families and children, had to travel only a few kilometers to reach their new homes in the fields next to their camp.
Kazhal Rzgar from Iraq was 46 years old. Her daughters Hadya (22 and Hasta) were seven and eight respectively. Hasta and Hasta had their old tent set up in an area of the field.
Since arriving at Grand-Synthe camp 16 days ago, the family has been living off food aids since their arrival in Italy as migrant boats.
Channel migrants are set to be flown to ALBANIA to a new asylum centre at cost of £100,000-a-head a year as French deny agreeing to stop all crossings
It was announced last night that Channel migrants arriving in Britain might be fast tracked to an Albanian off-shore processing center.
Ministers have been discussing the possibility of opening an asylum center in Eastern Europe. They believe this would be a deterrent to migrants coming from France.
The Times reported that anyone seeking asylum in Britain who arrived illegally, such as by small boats or dinghies, would be flew to the new center within seven days.
However, the project would cost the British taxpayer £100,000 per migrant for flights and accommodation.
An unnamed minister stated that offshore processing was the best option now as there is no other way to make it work.
Reports of earlier plans to build offshore processing centers using North Sea disused oil rigs – that were discussed last year – proved futile.
However, the chances of securing a deal in Tirana are now “looking good”, a UK government source stated, even though OltaXhacka, the Albanian foreign minister, had rejected the idea last month.
Priti Patel (Home Secretary) pledged this week to end ‘100%’ of Channel crossings into France. This latest development comes amid the crisis in the migration sector.
Paris contradicted her claims that she had signed the agreement with Gerald Darmanin, French counterpart.
Monday saw around 80 migrants being photographed climbing in inflatable dinghies to northern France, before being pulled into the ocean and embarking on their journey to Britain.
The channel was crossed by 1,185 people last Thursday. This surpasses the 853 daily maximum. This year there were more than 21,000 crossings.
According to reports, Channel migrants could reach Britain by fast track and be sent directly to an Albanian processing center. Above: Kent migrants arrived earlier in this week
Ministers discussed opening an asylum facility in eastern Europe, believing it could act as a barrier to immigrants crossing the border from France.
A spokesperson for the Home Office responded to reports about plans to open an Albanian asylum center. “Migrants crossing dangerous borderlands are risking their lives. It is crucial that we prevent this from happening and stop criminal gangs using people’s money.
“People should apply for asylum in the safest country in which they land. As part of their response, it’s important that there is a maritime deterrent and international partnerships to end these dangerous trips.
The Sun reported the plan last month. The official spokesperson of the Albanian prime Minister dismissed the report as “absolutely unverified”.
This news follows a March suggestion that illegally crossing the Channel to get to Britain, asylum seekers could be sent to Turkey.
Another option was Gibraltar, an island off the coast of Gibraltar, and the Isle of Man.
While charities called the proposal ‘inhumane’ at the time, an immigration expert claimed that although there is no law banning such a move it would be illegal under the Constitution.
New research by the British Refugee Council on Wednesday revealed that almost two-thirds of the migrants who travel across the Channel to get to the UK from the Middle East was discovered.
More than 61 per cent of those who make the dangerous journey across the 21 mile straight Calais to Dover are nationals from countries such as Iran and Iraq.
Iran has the highest numbers of immigrants arriving by small boat, 3,187 Iranians have reached Britain’s shores since January 2013 to May 2012.
This account for 26% of all small boat arrivals over the period.
The same time, figures show that 2,185 Iraqis crossed the Channel.
This figure is approximately 17% of 12,195 migrants arriving in the UK via small boats arrived by 2020 or earlier.
After a Channel Channel boat accident, a group of migrants is brought to Dover (Kent) onboard the Dungeness Lifeboat.
The top 10 most landed in small boats were also Middle Eastern nationalities from war-torn countries like Syria and Yemen.
Non-Middle Eastern Countries had the highest number of immigrants, with most coming from Sudan. Around eight percent of small boats arrived in Vietnam from arrivals, with six percent from Eritrea from Ethiopia and one from Eritrea.
According to the British Refugee Council, all of the countries in the top 10 represent 91% of UK arrivals.
After MailOnline journalists saw two inflatable dinghies measuring 50 feet in length and carrying up to 40 migrants, they left northern France Tuesday morning.
The dawn. A jogger and dog walkers watched with amazement as these two distinct groups ran toward the water’s edge, carrying their enormous boats, after having been hiding in the dunes overnight.
While the migrants were boarding for the risky trip to Britain, smugglers made their way into the ocean to help them. However, they never reached the destination.
Ms Patel claimed that she was in agreement with Gerald Darmanin, the French interior minister. This was despite the continuing crossings of the Channel and their lack of success.
In a joint statement, the Home Office stated that the couple had taken measures to’stop dangerous crossings’ on the ‘deadly’ route.
The French Embassy in London however stated that 100% should not be considered an accepted number.
On Monday, Ms Patel met Mr Darmanin with France and the UK involved in an ongoing dispute over the best way to deal with migrants crossing the Channel.
Following the joint statement, it was stated that both the Interior Minister (Home Secretary) and Interior Minister agreed to intensify operational cooperation.
“More must been done to stop dangerous crossings.
“They committed to expedite the execution of the promises made in the joint accord of July 2021 to meet their common determination to keep crossings out of reach at all costs and to make the deadly route impossible.”
However, on Twitter the French embassy claimed that 100% was not a figure agreed upon between the Home Secretary of France and the French interior minister @GDarmanin. This should not be presented to the public as an accepted commitment.
“And it isn’t part of the combined statement.”
In a press conference held on October 9, Darmanin stated that 100 percent should be possible with support from the British authorities and resources.