Scot-Pioneer

A leaked radio exchange between an the captain of the 'Scot Pioneer' and the French Coastguard exposed France's infuriating response to the small boats crisis. The captain was outraged after he spotted French navy vessels, including a warship, guiding the traffickers' boats around his ship towards Britain and blocked the 'Scot Pioneer' from entering Dunkirk harbour. 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. 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." 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.

Investigations are under way after a man was killed at Dublin Port yesterday. The Health and Safety Authority inspectors and gardai went to the scene yesterday afternoon following the incident. It is understood that the man was killed after being struck by machinery. At Waterford port on Thursday, a 51-year-old man from the Philippines plunged more than five metres while he was tying down a load on board the cargo ship, the MV Scot Pioneer. He later died from his injuries. The Port of Waterford Company issued a statement yesterday to extend its sympathy to the family and colleagues of the seaman who died.