News, Dover
Lifeboat crew members who are called out to migrants crossing the Channel in small boats have told the they make no apologies for saving lives at sea.
The RNLI has faced accusations that it is acting as a “taxi service” for people trying to enter the UK illegally.
But its members said they will react to any incident they are asked to by the Coastguard and will go to the aid of anyone in trouble on or in the water.
Last year, lifeboat crews responded 114 times to small boats – representing just over 1% of their total call-outs across the UK and Ireland. The charity said it has saved the lives of 58 migrants, including children.
Paula Lain, who works as a management consultant when she’s not volunteering for the RNLI, said: “When our pager goes, we’re not thinking anything political.
“We’re all thinking about people. We’re actively compassionate. That’s what drives us beyond any moral or civic responsibility.
“When we’re tasked, we don’t know what we’re going to be tasked to. We’re there to help people in their most distressing times.”
Simon Jones/The RNLI has released harrowing images of an incident in which 19 people had to be pulled from the sea after the dinghy they were in capsized. It said it wants to provide an insight into the reality facing its volunteer crews.
The images show the crew throwing what are called horse shoes – effectively mini life jackets – into the sea.
But on seeing the lifeboat, many of those in the water decide to swim directly to it, and they are hauled on board.
Some collapse with exhaustion, others need immediate medical attention. The lifeboat already had 68 people on board from an earlier incident.
Simon Jones/Everyone rescued by the RNLI in this incident in August 2023 survived – but six people pulled from the water by other vessels who responded to the emergency lost their lives.
RNLI crew members said they have faced accusations that they are facilitating illegal immigration.
But volunteer Dan Sinclair says what they see in the Channel has a profound impact on them.
He recalls one recent rescue, telling the : “There was a little girl on that boat.
“When we took that little girl – who was probably four years old – off that boat, she looked at me straight in the eye and she said ‘Thank you. I love you.'”
You can see more about the rescue on the new series of ‘Saving Lives at Sea’ on Two on Thursday at 20:00 BST and on iPlayer.
