1/3 Today we witnessed Border Force practising pushbacks. 2 of our vols watched in horror as dinghies, full of Border Force staff wearing life jackets, were forcibly turned around by two or three jet skis using techniques such as circling the boats and nudging with the jet skis.
2/3 The practice of pushbacks, however, is illegal under international and maritime law. This aggressive and violent behaviour puts the lives of those making the crossing at greater risk. Channel Rescue condemns this practice as reckless endangerment!
3/3 People fleeing war and persecution are legally entitled to claim asylum in Britain and so we stand in solidarity with those making the crossing. The militarisation and securitisation of our border must come to an end!
LIVE UPDATE: We're currently witnessing what looks like pushback drills by Border Force jet skis in the Channel. We're not 100% sure but two jet skis appear to be doing circling manoeuvres around dinghies with Border Force vessels full of people looking on. We’re 👀 @ukhomeoffice
UPDATE: Three jet skis were definitely circling the dinghy and as a result, the dinghy changed direction… we're almost certain they are practising pushbacks but they have now moved out of sight so we can longer watch what's going on.
1/4 Pushbacks are cruel, inhumane and illegal! 🚣♀️ Here are a few reasons why...
2/4 Every captain is obliged to provide help to people in distress unless it would endanger the captain's own ship or crew. This is spelt out in the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and in the 1979 International Convention on Maritime Search and Rescue.
3/4 As soon as someone reaches an EU member state they're entitled to apply for asylum. Pushbacks are a breach of Convention Relating to Status of Refugees and Euro Convention on Human Rights. They undermine people's right to due process before a decision to expel them is taken.