Trail of ‘refugee boats’ spans from China to Calais
Jan 07, 2022
4 minutes
By Lorenzo Tondo, Luke Harding and Vincent Ni
Against the backdrop of Dunkirk’s busy port, a collapsed, grey rubber dinghy lies on the shore, abandoned and washed in by the tide. It is one of many haunting signs of the thousands of desperate people who have attempted to cross the Channel from France to the UK.
Nearby lies a red lifejacket and a shoe. The vessel bears the name MaRe Boote, a German company based in the small western Rhineland town of Werne. According to German police, at least 24 MaRe boats have been used by migrants to make the perilous journey.
In a compound in Dover, where boats seized after carrying people from France are stored,
You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.
Start your free 30 days