French border force escort another packed migrant mega-dinghy to UK from Normandy beach

FRENCH boats are escorting another packed mega-dinghy carrying around 50 migrants across the Channel. The boat set off from a beach near Bayeux in France on Monday – picking up around 11 people at Cote Fleurie, 30 miles east along the coast. The dinghy has reportedly been at sea for over 24 hours now Credit: Getty Activist Danny Tommo said he was heading into the Channel to find the boat Credit: YouTube Danny Tommo It is now headed into the Channel and towards England and remains at sea more than 24 hours after it started its journey. A spokesperson for local rescue services said: “The boat was in a very bad way, and very low in the water, with just a single small outboard motor to power it. Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! “The sea was calm, and weather conditions were good, but the decision was taken to escort the boat, without intervening.” The dinghy reportedly began heading along the French coast rather than making its way across the Channel because of currents and strong winds. Right wing activist Danny Tommo has said other activists would meet any boat bringing migrants to the UK on the shore Credit: YouTube Danny Tommo The boat is being escorted by French vessels Credit: Getty Four lifeboats from the SNSM – France’s equivalent to the RNLI -have been dispatched to monitor the boat. The tugboat Abeille Liberté was also sent to escort the dinghy after it set off shortly before 10am yesterday. Right wing anti-migrant activist Daniel Thomas, who goes by Danny Tommo online, is reportedly headed into the Channel to find the boat. He has shared a YouTube livestream of himself in a speed boat at sea today. Most read in The Sun The right wing activist said: “We’re going track it, we’re going to get to it, we’re going to document that handover, see who it is that’s picking them up.” It comes after masked activists, including Thomas, clashed with police earlier this month as a dinghy carrying 140 migrants made its way to Portsmouth. The activist labelled his actions “Portsmouth 2.0” as he sped out to sea to intercept the dinghy. He hinted that other activists from the anti-migrant group Patriot Platform would be sent to meet any boat bringing migrants to the UK today. Thomas said: “Our boys and our ladies will be headed in that direction. “There comes a time where you’ve just got to get things done and this is about getting things done.” Thomas could be seen approaching the migrant boat as a helicopter hovered above. He was tracking the crossing on a mobile phone and could be heard saying: “I think they’ve run out of fuel, because their not moving are they?” The Dinghy could be seen still in the water as Thomas addressed the camera. He pointed to one of the escorting vessels and said “this vessel is one of the number one culprits.” Pointing to the dinghy he said: “We’re expecting this not to be last one today, you can see the conditions, this is perfect conditions. “There is a lot of people on there, a lot of migrants, and the thing is its factual to say, its not a conspiracy, there will be men on there that are from the most dangerous countries in the world.” Authorities in that area of the Channel are reportedly escorting the boat because the distance it is travelling is longer than the traditional routes from Calais and Dunkirk. The route from Normandy can be as much as 100 miles, four times the length of the Dover to Calais crossing. Fears were raised that packed mega dinghies could start landing across Britain’s southern coast after a small boat made the “longest ever” crossing of the English Channel. The boat packed with 140 migrants made the first-of-its-kind crossing from Normandy earlier this month before being intercepted by lifeboats, with the occupants being taken to Portsmouth. It made the nearly 70-mile – and potentially treacherous – crossing, which is double the length of the traditional small boat route from Calais to Dover. And the departure point was more than 200 miles from the usual beach which dinghies leave from at Gravelines in France. Fears were raised that the landmark crossing could mean the opening up of new routes across the South Coast. And a much wider crossing zone – rather than the narrow, predictable and well supported Dover route – could put major pressure on services. It comes after a boat carrying around seven migrants made the crossing from France undetected yesterday before landing near Folkestone, Kent. Five people were detained and passed on to the Border Force after the boat, which was the first undetected crossing in a year, arrived. The Home Office has labelled the undetected crossing an “isolated” incident.