Armed Guards on Brittany Ferries (1 Viewer)

DBK

LIFE MEMBER
Jan 9, 2013
17,968
47,804
Plympton, Devon
Funster No
24,219
MH
PVC, Murvi Morocco
Exp
2013
Apparently armed guards (French) are to be used on Brittany Ferries. I don't have a link yet, it was on the local news. Sounds sensible I fear, given the current threat.

Edit: Found a link: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-36964059
But they have to leave by helicopter before entering British waters. Great, any terrorist will keep quiet until they leave then! Hopefully the ducks will be put in a row soon.

Another edit: The scheme might be extended to other ferries.
 
Last edited:

vwalan

Funster
Sep 23, 2008
8,835
5,798
roche cornwall
Funster No
4,148
MH
lynton5th wheel
Exp
since a child
could be on the torpoint ferry soon .
wonder if it will be duke of cornwalls infantry doing it . keep them blumin emmits out . hee hee.
 
Jul 29, 2013
9,048
18,079
Salisbury
Funster No
27,215
MH
Hymer B678DL A class
Exp
since 2011
Every carriage in the tunnel next then?

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
  • Like
Reactions: DBK
Oct 5, 2012
4,283
9,569
Ayrshire
Funster No
23,166
MH
Carado T132
Exp
5 years, feel free to ask me about the Carado!!

Scattycat

Free Member
Jan 3, 2013
920
1,262
Mayenne, France
Funster No
24,131
MH
Rapido
Exp
Since 2010
Apparently armed guards (French) are to be used on Brittany Ferries. I don't have a link yet, it was on the local news. Sounds sensible I fear, given the current threat.

Edit: Found a link: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-36964059
But they have to leave by helicopter before entering British waters. Great, any terrorist will keep quiet until they leave then! Hopefully the ducks will be put in a row soon.

Another edit: The scheme might be extended to other ferries.
If I read the article correctly then it is French police dropping onto French boats as they enter French waters from the UK so the comment about leaving by helicipter before entering British waters surely wouldn't apply. Or did I get it wrong?
 
  • Like
Reactions: DBK

Abacist

LIFE MEMBER
Oct 15, 2013
3,648
10,040
Devon
Funster No
28,581
MH
N & B Tag Axle
Exp
since 2013
Just seen this on the news! Arriving by helicopter or by boat when terrorists are on a ship is pretty much doomed to failure as the terrorists can rake the boats and ladders and ropes with machine-gun fire. Secret Marine Marshalls seems to make more sense being employed on ships as they can materialise unannounced and when they can, kill some of the terrorists in the same way that sky marshals are used.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
  • Like
Reactions: DBK
May 8, 2016
1,685
78,503
silver coast, portugal
Funster No
42,972
MH
C Class: Low profile
Exp
Boatie for 20 years
It does state that there are talks between governments about extending the scheme in that article

It doesn't matter how many people you have strutting around with guns, though, it wouldn't prevent someone with a rucksack and evil intentions from causing a major catastrophe
 
  • Like
Reactions: DBK

magicsurfbus

Free Member
Oct 11, 2010
4,673
10,127
NW England
Funster No
14,057
MH
Bessacarr Coachbuilt
Exp
Since 1997
We were at Disney Paris last week was horrified to see armed soldiers outside the main entrance

They've been there for quite some time. Certainly last September, and on the previous occasion we visited. Mind you they seem to keep missing this shifty foreign looking type:

Villains-Jafar-103103-Dexter.jpg
 

Minxy

LIFE MEMBER
Aug 22, 2007
32,488
66,003
E Yorks
Funster No
149
MH
Carthago Compactline
Exp
Since 1996, had Elddis/Swift/Rapido/Rimor/Chausson MHs. Autocruise/Globecar PVCs/Compactline i-138
Its too late ... @Tootles is already back in the UK!

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

magicsurfbus

Free Member
Oct 11, 2010
4,673
10,127
NW England
Funster No
14,057
MH
Bessacarr Coachbuilt
Exp
Since 1997
If you're on a ferry from Dover to France you've already passed through passport control so are you legally under French jurisdiction? Likewise are you under British jurisdiction on the way back?

Don't know if that affects who patrols the ships.
 
  • Like
Reactions: DBK

Abacist

LIFE MEMBER
Oct 15, 2013
3,648
10,040
Devon
Funster No
28,581
MH
N & B Tag Axle
Exp
since 2013
This is so petty! Governments should work together and cooperate. Who gives a **** whose armed guards are on a ferry to protect the passengers? The terrorists must love seeing stuff like this!

Sky marshals work internationally so what's the problem!
 

Jim

Ringleader
Jul 19, 2007
36,186
128,602
Sutton on Sea, UK
Funster No
1
MH
Adria Panel Van.
Exp
Since 1988
Terrorists are always drawn to prize targets like Aircraft, railways etc But the lone wolf style of attacks we are seeing will mean that much softer targets and one's 'local' to them will be chosen. We can't guard everywhere. Intelligence is where all the money should go.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

nekarsulm

Free Member
Apr 20, 2016
25
11
Cavan, Ireland
Funster No
42,617
MH
Autoroller -5.Fiat Ducato
Exp
ten years
We were at Disney Paris last week was horrified to see armed soldiers outside the main entrance
We were there a year ago, and groups of French Army personel were patroling the entry point and around the SNCF station that is on the complex. So its not a reaction to the last few months attacks.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
  • Like
Reactions: DBK

nekarsulm

Free Member
Apr 20, 2016
25
11
Cavan, Ireland
Funster No
42,617
MH
Autoroller -5.Fiat Ducato
Exp
ten years
If you're on a ferry from Dover to France you've already passed through passport control so are you legally under French jurisdiction? Likewise are you under British jurisdiction on the way back?

Don't know if that affects who patrols the ships.
British customs and immigration is based in Calais. Can't remember the name of the agreement which made this possible, but for that particular route, the UK starts at the French shoreline.
 
  • Like
Reactions: DBK
Feb 4, 2016
2,784
2,127
West Sussex, UK
Funster No
41,567
MH
Hymer B680 Starline
Exp
Long term a few years now.
So much work is going into stopping these attacks , people are risking there lives every day stopping these attacks , the armed forces we see are a last resort .

My hat goes off to the internal security forces who never get any credit and dont want any it would cause attention .

Maybe a weird post but some will know what i mean .
 
May 3, 2016
2,154
20,254
Ayrshire, UK
Funster No
42,868
MH
Swift Kon-Tiki
  • Like
Reactions: DBK

mike mcglynn

LIFE MEMBER
Deceased RIP
Jan 6, 2008
2,700
32,552
St. Helens MERSEYSIDE
Funster No
1,144
MH
Autosleeper Warwick XL
Exp
A long time now
We passed through Singapore Changi airport some years back and they had Gurkhas in groups of 4 patrolling the airport which was the size of a city centre they were armed with the latest machine guns and handguns and a force to be reckoned with.
 
  • Like
Reactions: DBK
OP
OP
DBK

DBK

LIFE MEMBER
Jan 9, 2013
17,968
47,804
Plympton, Devon
Funster No
24,219
MH
PVC, Murvi Morocco
Exp
2013
If I read the article correctly then it is French police dropping onto French boats as they enter French waters from the UK so the comment about leaving by helicipter before entering British waters surely wouldn't apply. Or did I get it wrong?

It's early days but I guess they would work in both directions, but it seems this is just at the "exercise" stage according to a later news item.

If you're on a ferry from Dover to France you've already passed through passport control so are you legally under French jurisdiction? Likewise are you under British jurisdiction on the way back?

Don't know if that affects who patrols the ships.

My understanding is French troops can be on the ship in international waters because it is a French registered ship. The direction of travel doesn't matter.
 

Hammie

LIFE MEMBER
Aug 21, 2014
467
278
Funster No
32,975
MH
Neismann & Bischoff Arto
Exp
newbie/2015
It's early days but I guess they would work in both directions, but it seems this is just at the "exercise" stage according to a later news item.



My understanding is French troops can be on the ship in international waters because it is a French registered ship. The direction of travel doesn't matter.

British aircraft are deemed British soil and our laws apply onboard, I expect the same applies to marine vessels.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
  • Like
Reactions: DBK
OP
OP
DBK

DBK

LIFE MEMBER
Jan 9, 2013
17,968
47,804
Plympton, Devon
Funster No
24,219
MH
PVC, Murvi Morocco
Exp
2013
This Draws attention !

Would have been better to employ covert sea marshals.
There is probably an element of politics, in the sense of being seen to do something. It may not deter an attack but at least the French government can't be blamed for not trying.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Nik

Nik

Oct 29, 2014
359
238
Cornish exile in Surrey
Funster No
34,038
MH
Autotrail Delaware
Exp
1 year
they have to leave by helicopter before entering British waters. Great, any terrorist will keep quiet until they leave then!
There is probably an element of politics, in the sense of being seen to do something. It may not deter an attack but at least the French government can't be blamed for not trying.

Certainly @DBK you are right especially in the light of recent events in France.
I used to deal with Sky Marshals on their arrival at a very big airport in the UK. They were allowed to keep their weapons on board if on a 'quick' turnaround, i.e. on the ground for less than 2 hours, otherwise their weapons and ammo would be collected and stored safely until being returned just prior to their departure.
I would envisage a similar protocol being applied to armed personnel on ferries so plucking them up in a helicopter might not be necessary.
Whilst a visible presence is good as deterrence and re-assurance a covert presence is also a valuable asset.

Best regards
Nik.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

Join us or log in to post a reply.

To join in you must be a member of MotorhomeFun

Join MotorhomeFun

Join us, it quick and easy!

Log in

Already a member? Log in here.

Latest journal entries

Funsters who are viewing this thread

Back
Top