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The captain of an English cargo ship has accused the French navy of ‘illegally trafficking immigrant boats’ across the Channel to Dover.
![In damning radio messages, the angry senior officer complained to the French coastguard when his vessel, Scot Pioneer, was stopped from entering Dunkirk harbour as navy vessels, including a warship, guided the traffickers' boats around his ship.](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/04/17/07/83723219-0-image-a-29_1713336083433.jpg)
In damning radio messages, the angry senior officer complained to the French coastguard when his vessel, Scot Pioneer, was stopped from entering Dunkirk harbour as navy vessels, including a warship, guided the traffickers’ boats around his ship.
![In response, the coastguard informed him that there was an 'arrangement' between the London and Paris governments for the French navy to escort migrant boats towards Britain.](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/04/17/07/83723201-0-image-a-30_1713336090229.jpg)
In response, the coastguard informed him that there was an ‘arrangement’ between the London and Paris governments for the French navy to escort migrant boats towards Britain.
![The captain begins his protest by radioing the French coastguard with the words: 'I would like to report what is an illegal operation in your waters.'](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/04/17/07/83723205-0-image-a-32_1713336116019.jpg)
The captain begins his protest by radioing the French coastguard with the words: ‘I would like to report what is an illegal operation in your waters.’
!['This morning we witnessed a French government vessel and a French navy warship escort a boat-load of illegal immigrants across the Channel to the midway point where they handed them over to another [Border Force] ship out of Dover. It has now arrived there,' The Captain said.](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/04/17/07/83725161-0-image-a-33_1713336127247.jpg)
‘This morning we witnessed a French government vessel and a French navy warship escort a boat-load of illegal immigrants across the Channel to the midway point where they handed them over to another [Border Force] ship out of Dover. It has now arrived there,’ The Captain said.
!['Now I have the French warship passing under my stern, passing another boat-load of immigrants across the Channel. There is also another [French] vessel to the west of us which is escorting a third boat of migrants. This is not search and rescue ¿ this is illegal trafficking of humans,' The Captain continued.](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/04/17/07/83746561-0-image-a-34_1713336278495.jpg)
‘Now I have the French warship passing under my stern, passing another boat-load of immigrants across the Channel. There is also another [French] vessel to the west of us which is escorting a third boat of migrants. This is not search and rescue – this is illegal trafficking of humans,’ The Captain continued.
![A fisherman in British waters, who picked up the open-channel recordings, told the Mail: 'This captain witnessed first-hand the French navy escorting dinghies to waiting British Border Force vessels.'](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/04/17/07/83746567-0-image-a-35_1713336285544.jpg)
A fisherman in British waters, who picked up the open-channel recordings, told the Mail: ‘This captain witnessed first-hand the French navy escorting dinghies to waiting British Border Force vessels.’
![A record number of 5,000 people in 100 small boats reached the UK from France this year by the end of March.](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/04/17/07/83700377-0-image-a-31_1713336110869.jpg)
A record number of 5,000 people in 100 small boats reached the UK from France this year by the end of March.
![A Government spokesman said: 'The unacceptable number of people who continue to cross the Channel demonstrates exactly why we must get the flights to Rwanda off the ground as soon as possible.'](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/04/17/07/83746563-0-image-a-36_1713336292021.jpg)
A Government spokesman said: ‘The unacceptable number of people who continue to cross the Channel demonstrates exactly why we must get the flights to Rwanda off the ground as soon as possible.’
!['We work with France in the English Channel to ensure people are recovered as safely as possible. Our successful work together helped to cut arrivals by more than a third last year.' Staff at Scotline, the company which owns the Pioneer Scot, declined to name its captain.](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/04/17/07/83746565-0-image-a-37_1713336308621.jpg)
‘We work with France in the English Channel to ensure people are recovered as safely as possible. Our successful work together helped to cut arrivals by more than a third last year.’ Staff at Scotline, the company which owns the Pioneer Scot, declined to name its captain.
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