After 27 people, including an expectant mother, drowned in the English Channel yesterday, more people have made the perilous journey.
Home Secretary, Priti Patel told MPs she had spoken to her French equivalent and offered to put more officers on the ground and continued to push for joint patrols of the Channel. But questions are still being asked – is this enough?
Since the start of the year, 1,552 smugglers have been arrested in northern France and 44 smuggler networks dismantled. Yet, there were 47,000 attempted Channel crossings to the UK this year and 7,800 migrants rescued.
How will the Home Secretary convert words into action? Is technology the answer, with drones being deployed over the channel. Will the tense relationship with our nearest neighbour hamper efforts. Time will tell. One thing is true, this problem is not going to go away. Therefore action is needed before more people lose their lives at sea.
