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English Channel anglers' fishing boat boarded by armed French customs

Posted by editor on Jun 22, 2009 - 10:43 AM
Filed under: Shipping, News

The captain of a fishing boat chartered from Dover which was boarded by armed French customs officers, was locked in a cell for nearly 10 hours according to the Sun today.

The captain and ten anglers were held hostage at gunpoint at sea according to reports.

It is claimed seven men armed with pistols boarded the30ft catamaran in the English Channel.

The captain was allegedly handcuffed and his vessel, the Jolly Fisherman, was taken to Boulogne, France.

After being held in a cell for nearly 10 hours , the captain named by the newspaper as Paul Alexander, was told there was no case to answer.

Mr Alexander is said to run a charter boat firm from Dover.

One of the anglers who chartered boat, named by the newspaper as Wayne Leadbeatter was reported as saying: “They were like pirates in uniform.

French police yesterday said customs have the right to board boats they are suspicious of.

Read the full story in the Sun.