Liners in Med may be forced to pick up migrants as UK rescue ships quit
Time：2015-10-10
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Rescue ships were also a comfort to the stream of commercial shipping crossing the path of the migrants because they did not have to stop to rescue them or face prosecution under the UN Law of the Sea for failing to do so.
RN ships will still carry out rescues if required while engaged in anti-smuggling operations in the Mediterranean, say Admiralty officials.
Save the Children CEO Justin Forsyth said he was "extremely concerned" by the withdrawal of HMC (Her Majesty`s Cutter) Protector and HMC Seeker, the UK`s last two UKVI vessels involved in search and rescue missions.
"Usually we see a reduction of crossings and casualties as the weather turns colder but that is not happening this year," said Mr Forsyth.
"Seven thousand people arrived on the Greek islands (on Sunday) alone, the same day as the appalling discovery of the dead bodies of another baby and toddler washed up on the island of Kos."
In the Aegean, the UK Border Force deployed HMC Protector and HMC Seeker to rescue refugees but the ships are now on their way back to the UK.
HMS Enterprise has picked 1,689 people in three operations since it replaced HMS Bulwark, which picked up 5,000. Now HMS Enterprise is conducting surveillance work off Libya.
Mr Forsyth criticised the shift in focus away from rescue operations.