UK to deploy vessel to deter Channel migrant crossing

By Ahmet Gurhan Kartal

LONDON (AA) - British Home Secretary has asked a Royal navy vessel to patrol the English Channel to deter migrant crossings, according to local media reports on Thursday.

Sajid Javid wrote a letter to Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson to request the deployment of the vessel and Willianson said the vessel HMS Mersey was ready to be deployed in the channel, the Sky News channel reported.

The armed forces "stand ready to provide additional capacity and expertise to assist the Home Office with the response to migrant crossings," said a spokesperson from the Defense Ministry.

Javid earlier had announced the redeployment of two Border Force cutters from the Mediterranean earlier this week.

The latest move came when the number of migrants reaching the U.K. soil hit at least 220 since November and a British man and an Iranian national were detained on suspicion of helping migrants to cross the English Channel into the U.K.

"The NCA officers have tonight (2 January 2019) arrested a 33-year-old Iranian national and a 24-year-old British man in Manchester, on suspicion of arranging the illegal movement of migrants across the English Channel into the U.K.,” the National Crime Agency said following the arrests.

Javid has also reportedly requested dozens of sailors and aerial surveillance to deter the crossings.

Britain's home secretary and French interior minister have last week agreed to step up efforts to end crossings into the U.K. from the French coast.

The agreement came shortly after six Iranian men were found on a beach near Deal in Kent last Sunday.

- Immigration

Immigration into the U.K. has become a controversial issue often exploited by far-right organizations and Brexiteers.

According to official figures, there were 74,000 more EU citizens who came to the U.K. than people leaving for other EU countries in 2018.

This was the lowest estimate for EU net immigration since 2012 and the lowest immigration level since 2014 with a great effect of Brexit uncertainties.

However, the non-EU net migration reached its highest since 2004 at 248,000, according to data from the Office of National Statistics.

Britain pledged to accept 20,000 Syrian refugees by 2020 after Europe had to face an influx of migrants in 2015. The number was not found impressive back then, as it was so small when compared with the vows made by other EU countries.