Immigration security

European Fleet Growing To Target People Smugglers

A fleet of European warships now forming in the Mediterranean to confront people smugglers is due to grow from four to nine or 10 vessels in coming weeks and will start operations on Oct. 7, officials involved in the coalition have said.

One new vessel joining the flotilla is the Royal Navy’s HMS Richmond, a Type 23 frigate carrying one Lynx helicopter and a ScanEagle surveillance drone, as well as a contingent of Royal Marines.

It will join the HMS Enterprise, a survey ship equipped with a Merlin helicopter, as well as a German supply ship and a German frigate, the Schleswig-Holstein, and the command vessel Cavour, an Italian carrier on which 70 multinational staff are running the Italian-led operation.