Exclusive:'Disgusting' threats hurled at RNLI and Coastguard over shipping channel in Gosport op to land 149 migrants
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Volunteers tasked with saving lives at sea were subject to ‘abhorrent’ abuse
A police investigation is underway after “disgusting” verbal threats were made to lifeboat and Coastguard crews during an operation to bring Channel-crossing migrants ashore in Gosport.
Threats of physical harm were hurled at volunteer crews on Sunday night via the VHF shipping movements channel 11 who were involved in the landing of 149 migrants at Fort Blockhouse on Sunday evening (October 4),The News understands. The threats were aimed at anyone involved in bringing migrants ashore.
It follows previous online abuse targeting RNLI volunteers in recent weeks, with two migrant ‘small boats’ having being brought to Hampshire in recent weeks before being transported to Dover for processing.
The latest threats have been condemned by the Gosport and Fareham Inshore Rescue Service - a voluntary lifeboat operation in Stokes Bay - which described the action against its colleagues as ‘despicable’.
A spokesperson said: “GAFIRS was made aware of threats to volunteer lifeboat crews broadcast over VHF radio. This is extremely concerning. Our crews are volunteers tasked with saving lives at sea, without fear or favour.
“We operate on direct taskings by HM Coastguard and our volunteers regularly place themselves in danger to help people in peril along the south coast, including Portsmouth Harbour. These threats are disgusting and we stand shoulder to shoulder with our lifesaving colleagues in calling out such despicable behaviour.
“Our crews should be allowed to carry out their lifesaving jobs – such as our recent incidents helping a boat aground in the harbour, and a yacht that had got lost in the fog – without fear of physical violence. We hope those that are responsible for such abhorrent acts are quickly found and dealt with by the police. We will continue to put those in danger at sea as our priority and will continue to help with incidents, as directed by the Coastguard, with any task they send us to.”
As previously reported by The News, a dinghy was spotted in the English Channel on Sunday, heading towards the south coast instead of Dover. Tasked with humanitarian work at sea, helping those regardless of race, the RNLI volunteer crews headed out to sea but were subject to the vicious threats on their return.
VHF Channel 11 is an open channel where seafarers are told of shipping movements and safety reports under Portsmouth King’s Harbour Master (KHM). Mariners normally use the channel to warn others about potential obstacles, obstructions, or sudden changes in weather. Instead, this was used to aggressively intimidate RNLI and Coastguard personnel.
HM Coastguard said Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary was notified about the “malicious VHF radio activity”, and the incident has been referred to the communications regulator Ofcom.
A police spokesperson said they had received a report shortly after 7.45pm on October 4 relating to four suspicious broadcast messages transmitted over VHF radio. The messages were sent between 10pm on October 4 and 6pm on October 5.
“The broadcasts were made on an open channel,” they added. “Enquiries are ongoing as part of our investigation and we are working with our colleagues from MoD Police and the RNLI as part of this process.”
Hard to track down
The RNLI has come under criticism from critics for performing their duties at sea as a result of the recent migrant landings.
During a visit to Haslar Marina earlier this week, Reform UK's Zia Yusuf said “anybody involved in assisting and aiding and abetting the invasion of this country should ask themselves very seriously the question of if this something that they can live with themselves for doing”.
A RNLI spokesperson confirmed the recent threats over VHF were reported to the police. “Our crews remain focused on our purpose to save lives at sea, and it is unacceptable that they are exposed to threats of any nature,” they added.
“It is not appropriate for us to comment on specific incidents. We are working closely with Hampshire Police, and appropriate authorities and where VHF is used inappropriately to threaten our crews, we will not hesitate to ensure robust action is taken. Our priority remains to care for and protect our people and their families.”
A mariner with knowledge of VHF broadcasts said it will be incredibly hard to track down who made the broadcasts. “The coastguard will have a recording of it and possibly KHM, but the broadcasts are crackly and very hard to pinpoint,” they added.
“They’ll know a rough area where it was broadcast from but that will be a huge area. It’s the same when false ‘maydays’ are heard on VHF. These people are very hard to track down unless they continue to broadcast which can be found using directional equipment. So the chances of finding someone is very low which makes this even more worrying."
Portsmouth Lifeboat Station at Eastney Point was shut in September after staff were threatened and abused in person and online. That followed the transiting of 120 migrants to the area on September 6, which sparked mass demonstrations leading to arrests, charges and prison sentences. Black-shirted men wearing balaclavas were spotted at the protests.
The RNLI spokesperson confirmed that the station was made operational again on October 5 to “provide lifesaving cover in the area alongside partner agencies”.
Kerry Moscogiuri, CEO of Amnesty International UK, said the abuse of staff was absolutely awful. “RNLI volunteers go to sea and save lives,” she added. “Their basic humanity is something that should unite us all.
“Those brave people should never have any hate pointed at them. It’s deeply saddening to hear that people would be behaving like that towards local volunteers who put their own lives in danger to protect others at sea.”
Speaking on behalf of the KHM, a Royal Navy spokesperson said: “The King’s Harbour Master team at Portsmouth Port work with the government and within international maritime law to ensure the safety and security of all vessels operating in and around Dockyard Port of Portsmouth – this includes military, commercial, leisure, and emergency vessels.
“We have reported all abuse aimed at them to Hampshire Police for investigation.”
Sunday’s protest
Home Office figures show that between January 1 and October 5 2026, a total of 20,478 people crossed the English Channel in small boats, which is down by 40 per cent compared to the same period in 2025.
However, despite this many are calling for tougher action and on Sunday around 350 protestors gathered at Haslar Marina after hearing about the migrant boat landing.
A total of 11 police units were brought in from six different forces to keep control of the situation, with a dispersal order being put in place which covered the town and 12 people arrested despite social media claims that the demonstrations were peaceful.
Offences included assaults against police officers and emergency workers; failing to comply with dispersal order conditions; failing to comply with prohibited assembly direction; criminal damage; drunk and disorderly in a public place; affray; racially aggravated public order incidents, and others including obstruction of a highway by blocking ambulances.
While nobody at the protest was seriously injured, a number of police officers were treated at the scene for injuries. One person suffering from chest pains was assisted by police officers before South Central Ambulance Service provided treatment. Five people were also issued with Section 35 dispersal notices.
Nails and screws were strewn across several streets in an effort to disrupt coaches and other vehicles. Of the 12 people arrested, one has been charged and awaits an appearance in court.
Jamie Lee Bennett, 38, of Thyme Avenue in Whiteley, has been charged with failing to comply with a prohibited assembly direction. He has been bailed and is scheduled to appear at Portsmouth Magistrates’ Court on November 26. The other 11 individuals have been bailed.
It cost Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary more than £200,000 to police the demonstration and Police and crime commissioner Donna Jones previously said this could rise to £1m a month if the situation continues to escalate. A previous operation to land migrants at Fort Blockhouse on September 22 was cancelled, with the individuals instead being brought to Dover. The police and crime commissioner has called on the government to instead always transfer migrants by sea to Kent instead of bringing them ashore in Hampshire to be transported by road.
Pressure remains on the government to explain itself regarding migrant landings on the south coast. Gosport MP Dame Caroline Dinenage previously confirmed she had no communications from the Home Office about the landing. The Home Office said it has established ‘contingency plans’ regarding migrant boat landings, but failed to elaborate on what this meant and whether Gosport will host continued migrant boat landings.