RNLI Boats Denied Entry to UK Ports

[Alex]

https://metro.co.uk/2026/09/08/rnli-boats-denied-entry-two-ports-met-protesting-crowds-portsmouth-29562896/

[JBR]

https://metro.co.uk/2026/09/08/rnli-boats-denied-entry-two-ports-met-protesting-crowds-portsmouth-29562896/

This sounds very interesting, but unfortunately I cannot read the article without agreeing to accepting their adverts.
If it is true, it is at last an example of common sense on the part of the RNLI.
Now we need the Border Farce to do exactly the same as the RNLI.

[muddy]

Nearly 800 illegal men in 24  hours
What is the RNLI up too ?
They must be doing this with the full knowledge and consent of the government .

[Alex]

https://metro.co.uk/2026/09/08/rnli-boats-denied-entry-two-ports-met-protesting-crowds-portsmouth-29562896/

The RNLI boats that picked up 140 migrants in the English Channel were denied entry to two larger ports and forced to go ashore during large protests, it has been revealed.

Crews on the boats were also threatened with legal action if they approached either Southampton Port or Portsmouth Harbour, Hampshire.

Crews were forced to bring the migrants to Eastney, Hampshire, where around 500 protestors met police, firefighters, Border Force and other officials opposing the operation to bring the migrants ashore.

Eastney is in Portsmouth but is several miles further east along the coastline from Portsmouth Harbour.

A broadcast on an open marine VHF radio detailed that Southampton Vessel Traffic Service and King's Harbour Master Portsmouth denied the RNLI permission to enter both of their ports and their approaches.

The broadcast also informed RNLI coxswains from Bembridge and Yarmouth on the Isle of Wight that failure to comply with this would lead to direct criminal prosecution against them.

A spokesperson for Associated British Ports (ABP) confirmed the crew was told not to come to Southampton.

They said: 'ABP did receive an enquiry about landing recovered migrants at the Port of Southampton.

'We had to decline the enquiry as the Port did not have suitable reception facilities available. If there had been a safety of life at sea issue where Southampton was the closest port or if we had received a formal Direction from the authorities, then we would have played a role.

[GrannyMac]

Enough is enough.  We need a government that actually listens to the people.

[klondike]

If a lorry driver comes in with illegals hiding in his vehicle he gets fined. Border Force are a government organisation acting on government policy so fining them is pointless but the RNLI is just a charity. They should pay the same fine for every illegal migrant they bring in as lorry companies have to (iirc it's £7,000 a head). I read that the RNLI chief executive is protesting about the protests. Ludicrous - what does the idiot expect? These people are probably not in any great danger and even if they are they placed themselves in that danger. The RNLI should be stopped from doing this by law and Border Force or the Royal Navy (if they have any working ships) used to stop the French and the dinghies entering UK waters.

As Mac says - enough is enough. We are heading towards some serious civil unrest. If anybody is seriously injured or killed because of that.....

[Dextrous63]

I'm trying to find some local volunteers who can accompany potential burglars who wish to break into my house, steal my goods and maim/abuse/kill me and my family.

It's the new way forward.

[Ashy]

I'm convinced that the RNLI is paid to traffic illegals by the government. It's disguised in the accounts. If these are regular lifeboat crews I don't think they should be doing this escort duty. Some of the Kent lifeboats turn out every single night, they can't be conventional volunteer crews. No employer is going to release lifeboatmen forever, surely?

[Dextrous63]

Makes one wonder what would happen if the volunteers decided to give certain call-outs a miss.  After all, it is voluntary.