UK to send warship to take part in second phase of EU naval operation

The UK government will send a Royal Navy frigate to take part in the second phase of an EU blockaded-style naval operation aimed at boarding, seizing and diverting refugee boats in the Mediterranean.

Ministry of Defence said the warship HMS Richmond is set to take part in a European Union Naval operation off the coast of Libya aimed at ending the people smuggling trade across the Mediterranean.

Last week, foreign ministers of UK and other EU countries gave their informal approval to the plan at meetings in Brussels. The approval came after the Italian admiral in charge of the naval force told them that 16 boats used by the smugglers could have been seized or destroyed in recent weeks if the second phase of the operation had been in force.

UK has sent HMS Enterprise, a small survey ship to take part in the first phase of the operation aimed at gathering intelligence and tracking the movement of the refugee boats used by the smugglers across the sea.

According to media reports, the home secretary, Theresa May, is to update the Commons on Wednesday on the British approach taken at the EU’s interior ministers meeting on Monday, when the UK opted out of plans to relocate 160,000 refugees in Europe. She will also tell MPs on the latest progress on preparations to settle 4,000 Syrian refugees in Britain.

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