Portsmouth and Southampton refuse landing request for 120 migrants rescued by RNLI boats
Two south coast ports refused requests to take in RNLI boats carrying 120 migrants intercepted off the Isle of Wight, before the group was eventually
Two south coast ports refused requests to take in RNLI boats carrying 120 migrants intercepted off the Isle of Wight, before the group was eventually landed at Eastney in Langstone Harbour on Sunday. The decision set off a roadside protest, with anti-migrant demonstrators blocking access as the boats came ashore.
Requests to use Portsmouth harbour and Southampton Port were both turned down. The BBC understands the King's Harbour Master in Portsmouth also declined a coastguard request, though it would not comment on operational matters.
Why the ports said no
Associated British Ports, which runs Southampton, said the port was not the closest available option and did not have suitable reception facilities. That left the coastguard and harbour authorities looking elsewhere for a landing point.
The migrants were “recovered” onto two RNLI vessels near the Nab Tower, according to the Langstone Harbour Master. The boats then made their way to Eastney, in what the harbour master said would have been a slow journey because the vessels were so overloaded.
Slow and crowded.
Protest at the shoreline
When the boats arrived, anti-migrant protesters blocked the road. The scene followed a separate demonstration at the Port of Dover the previous day, underscoring how migration remains a flashpoint at several English Channel and south coast sites.
The RNLI, whose lifeboat crews are staffed by volunteers, said it was working with the relevant parties to understand why access was denied. The charity also said it was disappointed with the communication its crews received.
“We are disappointed with the nature of the communication with our crews, who voluntarily give their time to save the lives of others at sea,” an RNLI spokesperson said.
The incident comes as pressure remains high on ports along the southern coast, where landings can quickly become politically charged and operationally complicated. For crews on the water, the immediate job is rescue. The next step is often less clear.
The 120 migrants were brought ashore after being intercepted off the Isle of Wight, then transferred near the Nab Tower before landing at Eastney in Langstone Harbour.
