VIDEO: Here’s how to stop Med migrant traffickers’ boats: British firm shows off invention

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The British-made Buccaneer can put a stop to the migrant tragedies

The BCB International  Boat Stopping Systems involves firing a high-tensile rope across the path of the suspect vessel.

This bring the boat to a halt within seconds by getting tangled round its propellers or the outboard motor.

The systems, which cost between £5,000 and £35,000, can also be fished out of the water and reused.

Mr

Fallon was shown the boat stoppers, which can halt anything from rigid

inflatables to larger vessels, on an election visit to Cardiff.

They were inspired by road stingers used by the police to catch speeding and runaway cars.

And

they were showcased following the recent tragedies in the 

Mediterranean involving flimsy boats packed with refugees heading for

Europe.

Last weekend up to 900 Africans crammed into a small fishing boat by people traffickers drowned when it capsized.

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The boat’s mechanisms can force the traffickers to a halt

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BCB Boss, Andrew Howell, said: “No one wants a repeat of the recent tragic events in the South Mediterranean.

“These

tragedies have shone a light on the inadequacy of methods currently

used to stop non-compliant boats, which usually consists of either

ramming a boat or shooting at the engines. 

“Both of these options

present grave and unacceptable dangers to the lives of desperate

passengers crammed into overcrowded boats.

“Our versatile boat stopping systems will stop large and small vessels.  They are non-lethal, safe and can be deployed quickly. 

“They

could be used by merchant ships or Local navies close to the North

African Coast to stop human trafficking at source; thereby preventing

the unnecessary loss of life linked with the growing number of attempted

perilous sea journeys in the Mediterranean.”

This could be used to prevent the unnecessary loss of life

linked with the growing number of attempted perilous sea journeys in the

Mediterranean

The three main systems, Barracuda, Buccaneer and Sea Stinger, all operate in the same way.

Pneumatic

launchers use compressed air to fire a Dyneema cable – which is 15

times stronger than steel – across the path of a suspect vessel.

When

the boat passes over, the cable wraps round its engine or propellers

and drag chutes on either end act as sea anchors which means the boat is

rapidly bought to a halt.

The Barracuda uses a hand-held launcher

while the two bigger systems use mounted “cannons” that can be fired

from either a patrol ship or the shore.

The Sea Stinger has a 200 yard (metre) cable which can be fired from 500 yards (metres) away.