Exclusive: A migrant threatened to “break our phones” just moments after his dinghy failed to reach Britain.
A migrant aggressively threatened an Express reporter just moments after he attempted to reach Britain on a dinghy. On Sunday morning, a group of around 40 migrants were seen next to the sand dunes after their dinghy failed to set sail to England. Reporter Lotti O’Brien spoke to a few of the migrants to find out what had happened, when one man approached and started shouting. “I will break your phone if you don’t leave”, he said multiple times.
The Channel migrant hopeful, dressed in a black jumper with his hood up while holding onto a life jacket, walked up to the reporter while she was chatting to another person who was onboard the boat. While he explained the situation, the other man approached from behind in a hostile manner, pointing and threatening to “break our phones”.
The moment a migrant threatened Express reporter Lotti O’Brien in Calais. (Image: Phil Harris)
After a short interaction the reporter walked away, leaving the area where the migrants were stood.
The group, made up mainly of men, had attempted to reach Britain in a dinghy just moments before. However, when they set off from Sangatte beach, just south of Calais, a small group of police officers waded into the water and punctured the boat with knives, leaving it deflated.
The migrants were then greeted by aid workers who supported them with foil blankets, water and hot drinks.
One man in the group, from Ethiopia, claimed that his country was the “greatest on Earth” yet wanted to go to Britain as it is “the other greatest nation”.
Another admitted he “didn’t know” why he wanted to cross the Channel, before changing his answer to “education”, despite being 24 years old.
After about thirty minutes of rest and rehydration, the group gradually dispersed, likely returning to nearby camps to await the next opportunity to cross.
A group of migrants huddled next to the sand dunes just moments after their dinghy was slashed. (Image: Phil Harris)
The Express witnessed multiple attempted crossings from Northern France just hours after Sir Keir Starmer announced his new “one in, one out” deterrent deal. However, numerous migrants said they were not put off by the scheme, claiming they “will try anyway”.
On Saturday morning six boats carrying 317 people managed to reach the UK, less than 48 hours after the prime minister unveiled his bid to stop the boats.
Five dinghies carrying 353 migrants arrived in Britain the day before, Friday, July 11. That figure followed Thursday’s total of 573 arrivals, coinciding with the official announcement of the new deal.