British frigate HMS Richmond has joined the EU mission in the Mediterranean to tackle migrant smugglers.
United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 2240 (2015) gives her Commanding Officer the authority to conduct enforcement action on the high seas, including the boarding and seizing of boats suspected to be involved in migrant smuggling.
Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said:
“These new powers are an important step forward. We will now be able to board the boats and detain the smugglers.
Sending HMS Richmond to join HMS Enterprise in the Mediterranean shows Britain’s determination to tackle this trade in human misery at source. We’ll hit the traffickers hard.”
A liaison officer will be on board HMS Richmond to advise her crew on legal issues including the identification, collection and preservation of evidence which could be used in criminal proceedings.
HMS Richmond joins survey vessel HMS Enterprise which continues its task to locate the migrant smugglers.
more taxpayers money wasted were short of ships and she should be doing other jobs better suited to her capability
Oh and how many any submarines does she need to sink or fleets should she be engaging? Think it through.
UK uk fleets at its lowest were virtualy a third rate navy due to political use of it as a football the raf have always been envious of the navy,two wars and the rn took all the cuts we have too little and what we have isent suficiant to protect the uk nevermind anything elseDefence Journal
Yeah, that’s not really countering what I said.
Maybe a slightly better answer is that the ship and its crew are getting valuable real world experience in the Mediterranean that they would not be getting cruising around and showing the flag. Tracking people smugglers and their boats is a real test of the ship’s sensors and the ability of the crew to use them.