Video, On board the worlds last surviving turntable ferry, Lin Liang Ren was jailed for 14 years in 2006, Research led by Durham University last year, Met Gala 2023: Stars celebrate Karl Lagerfeld, Shooting suspect was deported four times - US media, Yellen warns US could run out of cash in a month, King Charles to wear golden robes for Coronation, HSBC says 1 bank buyout boosted profit by $1.5bn, More than 100 police hurt in French May Day protests. Almost a year on, it has collected only 20,000, including 5,000 that ITV donated after its recent Bafta. Labour MP Jim Sheridan raised the matter with a private member's bill and legislation soon followed which saw the creation of the Gangmasters Licensing Authority (GLA) in 2006. All were working illegally, picking cockles for hours on end to send money back to their families. The father inherited his son's 100,000 yuan debt (6, 625). After they have paid the rent and utilities, there is barely enough for food. He said the team on the hovercraft covering Arnside in Cumbria began their "normal search patterns" when they made the grim discovery of the bodies. "That was taken just days before he set off to Europe," she says, breaking into tears. "We once lived in the hills, but it was too remote, too far away from the nearest school, so we moved," he says in a thick local dialect. Yet many of the underlying causes, and especially the role of gangmasters, remain unresolved. VideoOn board the worlds last surviving turntable ferry, I didnt think make-up was made for black girls, Why there is serious money in kitchen fumes. I don't know how we can go on. Their mother, Chen Aiqin, went to work in Britain because she thought it was her family's only chance to escape poverty. Congleton MP Ann Winterton stunned an audience at a dinner when . "The Chinese workers were caught up in it," said local fisherman Gary Cheetham. Gang labour is common in the building trade, and poor health and safety under gangmasters has led to many injuries and, in some cases, deaths. A decade ago 23 Chinese cockle pickers drowned when they were trapped by sweeping tides while working in Morecambe Bay, Lancashire. "So it had a lasting effect on them," he added. We must go on. Professor Gary Craig, who led the study, said there was a "real problem" getting people to acknowledge that "slavery exists in the UK" and warned there were "accidents waiting to happen". "I stayed in my husband's home for a while. These lenders, many of whom are poor themselves, charge interest of about 10% a year. Li said: "I wanted to get justice for those who died. 894646. In fact, the snakeheads were paid off long before the accidents. During lunch with two of the other bereaved relatives, he says nothing, just slurps his noodles and lets others talk of compensation, human rights and justice. "I was so tired last year that I had to stop and rest. Li Hua was trafficked by 'snakeheads' from China via Moscow to the UK. She refuses. On board the worlds last surviving turntable ferry. VideoOn board the worlds last surviving turntable ferry, I didnt think make-up was made for black girls, Why there is serious money in kitchen fumes. The men put the cash in a plastic container and buried it in the back garden, where it was later discovered by officers. "We dealt with the people who were responsible for the deaths on the night. It was the eight-year-old who found the body. If I had any money, I would pay them, because I know they have to work hard for their money too. It is a rough-hewn, empty house. Most populous nation: Should India rejoice or panic? Her miserable red-brick cottage grovels at the feet of neighbouring multi-storeys - designed in a European style with Greek pillars and pediments. They have done nothing wrong. The detective who led the investigation into the tragedy said the deaths had "lived with him" ever since. ", The scars of Morecambe's cockling disaster, North Western Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority, AI chatbots 'may soon be more intelligent than us', Russia troop deaths hit 20,000 in five months - US, Palestinian hunger striker dies in Israel prison, The 17 most eye-catching looks at the Met Gala, 'My wife and six children joined Kenya starvation cult', On board the worlds last surviving turntable ferry. With China's economy racing along at double-digit pace and huge inflows of cash from overseas, this region has never had it so good. Only 21 bodies were recovered. And the amount that we owe is growing all the time because we cannot pay interest. The problem is the creditors. Is climate change killing Australian wine? Read about our approach to external linking. The children looked lost, disbelieving. (modern), A woman searching for cockles in Fujiyan. In 2013, only seven gangmasters were convicted for operating without a licence. Morecambe Bay cockling disaster survivor Li Hua said he thought he "might just as well wait to die" before the emergency helicopter's thermal imaging camera spotted he was alive in the sea, The victims, aged between 18 and 45, were working to send money back to their families, Jurors in the manslaughter trial were taken out on the sands in a hovercraft, Mick Gradwell, who led the police investigation, claimed other similar disasters could occur. Mr Gradwell claimed other similar disasters could still occur because people are willing to exploit the poorest in society for their own ends. Bolton: Concerns over Chorley New Road 'hump' after repairs, Boy with epilepsy campaigning for access to medicinal cannabis, Man racially abused police officer after being hit over head with vodka bottle, WATCH: Vicar of Bolton delivers final service with 'deep gratitude', National Lottery on the hunt for Prestons community heroes, Preston local elections 2023: Watch debate on Guild Hall, Animate Cinema and council cuts, AI chatbots 'may soon be more intelligent than us', Russia troop deaths hit 20,000 in five months - US, Palestinian hunger striker dies in Israel prison, The 17 most eye-catching looks at the Met Gala, 'My wife and six children joined Kenya starvation cult', On board the worlds last surviving turntable ferry. They realise we have problems," says Chen. Lawyers in London are pressing a claim for money from Britain's criminal compensation fund, but if a payment comes at all it could take years. Chen says she has sold her wedding jewellery and persuaded the creditors to stop charging 10% interest. When their gangmaster, Lin, was convicted of criminal negligence the judge at Preston crown court said the accused was motivated by greed to shockingly exploit his countrymen with no heed for their safety. You must go around the back of Red Bank Farm and it is a sharp left up on the on the banking, looking over the Bay. Even so, small expenses quickly mount up. I guess he is also the poorest and least educated. But she is dragged into poverty by debt and dependants. Dependant Son Xu Bin, 17 Debt More than 200,000 yuan (13,250) Monthly income 1,200 yuan (80). His evidence helped convict Lin Liang Ren of 21 counts of manslaughter, facilitating illegal immigration and perverting the course of justice. Widow Lin Meiqin, who lives in China's Fujian province, has never remarried after her husband Lin YouXing died in the bay at the age of 38. "But we did not make any dent into these wider criminal gangs who traffic people around the world," he said. It is an impossible burden for a landless farmer who is too old to find work in a factory. It took a year to reach Morecambe. We depend on ad revenue to craft and curate stories about the worlds hidden wonders. A week after she died, in 2004, I visited the family's home. If the creditors saw you they would assume you gave me money and demand I repay them. Please, The subscription details associated with this account need to be updated. Inside Out is broadcast on Monday 3 February at 19:30 GMT on BBC One North West and nationwide for seven days thereafter on the iPlayer. ", Her sick brother-in-law says he feels like an extra burden. Now he had inherited two more and a debt of 150,000 yuan (9,940). Bo and Yan Li were jailed in 2009 for a scam linked to the deaths of the cockle pickers in Morecambe Bay in 2004. Their father had died in an accident several years earlier, leaving the family deep in debt. It is as if they have fallen into a crevasse between justice and charity, from which there is no way out. She really got on well with her son-in-law and now he is gone, she knows what problems we face.". ", At the bottom, he tags on a brief message to their two sons. The combination of rising flood waters and ferocious incoming tide meant the trapped cockle-pickers "didn't stand a chance", a sands expert said. The headlines from China were full of disbelief. "It is his debt now. Inside this station, the 1945 film "Brief Encounter" is played on a loop daily. The money had been stashed by Yan Li's boyfriend Philip Freeman, 64. Eighteen cockle pickers have died after becoming trapped by rising tides in Lancashire's Morecambe Bay. Michael Guy, lifeboat operations manager was on duty that night. Unlike most of the families in Fujian, Yu knew that her husband was in trouble before she read about it in the newspapers because Guo had a mobile phone with him in Morecambe Bay. The deaths 10 years ago of 23 Chinese cockle pickers who were searching for a "better life" has had a lasting effect on all those associated with the disaster in Morecambe Bay. The siblings have been separated. 96 minutes. THE death of the cockle-pickers in Morecambe Bay has added to its reputation for being a deadly area for the unwary. it says. The authorities in Beijing have washed their hands of the matter. Ten Thousand Waves, featuring Maggie Cheung as Mazu, is a collaboration with the Chinese poet Wang Ping, whom Julien met in 2006 and brought to Morecambe Bay; she produced a poem that "became . Det Sgt Derek Tinsley said: "[The Li sisters] clearly have no remorse for the way in which they obtained this money and wasted no time in trying to spend it on their release from prison. Gangmaster-controlled work is worth 1.34bn to the UK economy, but only 950 labour providers are licensed under the act. But they drive her to distraction. He said: "The water covered the wheel and the vehicle couldn't move. "The scenario of migrant workers being promised a better life by working for a gangmaster on farms in the UK but then finding they're paid far less then they've been promised less than the minimum wage isn't uncommon." Mr Hua said: "I could not believe I was being rescued and I was alive again.". The Chinese cockle pickers died in 2004 when they were caught in the rising tide at Bolton-le-Sands near Morecambe, Lancashire. Their uncle was too shocked by the size of the burden suddenly thrust upon him to grieve at the loss of his sister. Rescue workers take away the body of one of the Chinese cockle pickers who died after they were trapped by the rising tide in Morecambe Bay in 2004 Tracy Brown, a Morecambe town councillor said . Most populous nation: Should India rejoice or panic? Mick Gradwell, who has retired from Lancashire Police, said: "You're thrown into investigating international organised crime gangs, snakeheads, triads, international human trafficking. Every weekday we compile our most wondrous stories and deliver them straight to you. And perhaps some fatty scraps of meat. Alan Sledmore, who guides people across the bay, said "The area is very . Each time one of the children catches a cold, the family must pay a few hundred yuan for medicine. It is not just economic hardship that drives them, he says, but also tradition and a spirit of adventure. The Gangmasters Licensing Authority is unsurprised. Benson, like many local fishermen, believes it was the negligence not only of the gangmasters but also of the authorities that was responsible for the tragedy: "In the summer of 2003, I rescued 50 to 60 Chinese folk who were stranded while cockling for a gangmaster That should have been a warning." It is not enough to live on, let alone pay interest. The Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority has reaffirmed its commitment to protecting vulnerable and exploited workers on the 15 th anniversary of the Morecambe Bay cockling disaster.. Twenty-three Chinese cockle pickers drowned after being trapped by incoming tides off the Lancashire coast on the evening of 5 February 2004, with a further 15 surviving. "I thought I might just as well wait to die. But 5,000 miles away in Fujian province, the tragedy has only deepened. Everyone was panicking, they got out of the vehicle and tried to swim. "Is that near Morecambe?" The detective who led the investigation into the tragedy said the deaths had "lived with him" ever since. Siblings Cai Zhixiang and Cai Huiling were orphaned by the Morecambe tragedy. There is no anger or grief in his voice. Her orphaned nephew Xu Bin has inherited debts of more than 200,000 yuan (13,250). Apart from the senior hovercraft commander, many of the crew on that particular night on the hovercraft hadn't seen bodies in the water before.". Barbara Storey, chair of SOS Polonia, a Polish community organisation in Southampton, said: "Abuse in gang labour is still common in the industries where migrants find work." She is wearing a white dress and her husband Wu Hongkang is in a western suit. Everyone was panicking, they got out of the vehicle and tried to swim. On the evening of February 5, 2004, 23 men and women lost their lives after . The only contribution we made to the families is that because we did recover the people we gave them some closure - rather than people being lost at sea.". The problem has got worse and the resources directed to it are totally inadequate.". A family portrait in 2004 shows the couple smiling with their two children. He has seen what they are like when they are here.". The court heard three weeks after the sisters were released from prison in 2011, they were arrested in Bath after trying to pass off 20 notes that had been withdrawn from circulation. Mick Gradwell, who has retired from Lancashire Police, said: "You're thrown into investigating international organised crime gangs, snakeheads, triads, international human trafficking. All rights reserved. As Yu Lihong starts to recall her mother-in-law's suicide, warm rain thunders down outside the barred, blue-tinted windows of the apartment at the top of the dark staircase, a walk of nine storeys every time the family has to go out to buy some noodles. The last time a foreigner came to see me, they came knocking immediately after and caused trouble. Chen says that is impossible now. But she had to come back because her children's schoolwork was suffering in her absence. His mother, Shi Aizhu, took that call. ", Yu went to Inner Mongolia for a few months to work. Soon after he turned 19, he went to England. Like most victims, Zhou's husband Cao Chaokun was not well educated. Read about our approach to external linking. 2023 Atlas Obscura. Hundreds of workers lined the Bay's sands in search for cockles, stretching out for miles in dangerous proximity to the treacherous rising tides. Having already cut back its staff (only 37 investigators cover Britain), and with more job cuts expected, the GLA is struggling to carry on operating. Police said they were part of a money-laundering gang that made 4m and had assets in the UK, Thailand and Norway. Memories of the tragedy may have faded in the public mind. United Kingdom. As they stare into the camera, I notice the painfully inappropriate English slogan emblazoned on her T-shirt. AI chatbots 'may soon be more intelligent than us', Russia troop deaths hit 20,000 in five months - US, Palestinian hunger striker dies in Israel prison, 'My wife and six children joined Kenya starvation cult', On board the worlds last surviving turntable ferry. "Wait a moment," I interrupt. "Sometimes I think if he hadn't died I would live a better life.". Healthcare, which is more market-driven than in most capitalist countries, is a heavy burden. Running time. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. "It is hard work, but I barely earn enough to put food in our mouths," she says. Often mistaken as a commemorative statue, this sculpture has become a memorial of sorts, honoring the deaths of 23 Chinese cockle pickers who died in Morecambe Bay working for criminal organizations. A memorial garden for the victims of the Morecambe Bay cockling tragedy has been unveiled. A NORTH West Tory MP remained defiant today over an offensive joke about the Chinese cockle pickers who drowned in Morecambe Bay. [8] A survivor testified that the leader of the group had made a mistake about the time of the tides. The monthly interest, 1,000 yuan (66), is three times Lin's rent. Read about our approach to external linking. They need to be repaid. I wish you and my son health and safety. Research led by Durham University last year found evidence that the numbers of people trafficked for labour exploitation would soon exceed those brought to the country for sexual exploitation. There is usually less risk than for a loan for college or business.". The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Often mistaken as a commemorative statue, this sculpture has become a memorial of sorts, honoring the deaths of 23 Chinese cockle pickers who died in Morecambe Bay working for criminal . He earned a lot in his first year and wrote to say that he was happy in Britain.
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