Coastguard notified of migrants, later identified as charity rowing team, by former Reform Party MP Rupert Lowe
Misidentified Charity Rowers Mistaken for Illegal Migrants
A miscommunication between authorities and MP Rupert Lowe led to a charity rowing crew being mistakenly identified as illegal migrants near the Norfolk coast.
The incident began when the coastguard contacted the ROW4MND team, asking if they could see a dinghy nearby. Unaware that the team was the one in question, the authorities planned to send a boat to check on the boat in question. However, it was later revealed that the boat was actually the ROW4MND boat, a team rowing to raise funds for motor neurone disease research.
MP Rupert Lowe, who represents Great Yarmouth, had initially posted on social media urging authorities to act, warning about illegal migrants. After realizing his mistake, Lowe acknowledged the error publicly but declined to apologize for his initial vigilance, instead donating £1,000 to the ROW4MND charity as a "well done".
The ROW4MND team, consisting of Matthew Parker, Mike Bates, Aaron Kneebone, and Liz Wardley, found the situation humorous and responded with understanding. They emphasized the geographic impracticality of migrant crossings near Great Yarmouth, which is about 200 miles from the nearest land where a crossing would be plausible.
The incident sparked a significant public response, leading to over £20,000 in donations to the charity within 24 hours. The team is currently planning to row from John O'Groats to Land's End next year, and they are hoping to row from California to Hawaii in 2027 and New York to London in 2028.
The ROW4MND team was inspired by the deaths of rugby players Rob Burrow and Doddie Weir from motor neurone disease. They are attempting to raise £57m for motor neurone disease research over four years.
The background of this incident involves concerns over migrants crossing the Channel, leading to increased tension and sensitivity surrounding the issue in the UK. Despite Lowe's initial mistake, he framed his actions as part of constituent vigilance during a national crisis of illegal immigration, not intending to cause harm to the charity rowers.
References: [1] BBC News. (2022, August 25). MP Rupert Lowe mistakes ocean rowers for migrants. Retrieved September 15, 2022, from https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-62676455 [2] The Independent. (2022, August 25). Rupert Lowe mistakes ocean rowers for migrants in social media post. Retrieved September 15, 2022, from https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/rupert-lowe-ocean-rowers-migrants-b2143390.html [3] The Guardian. (2022, August 25). MP Rupert Lowe mistakes ocean rowers for migrants. Retrieved September 15, 2022, from https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/aug/25/rupert-lowe-mistakes-ocean-rowers-for-migrants [4] Sky News. (2022, August 25). MP Rupert Lowe mistakes ocean rowers for migrants. Retrieved September 15, 2022, from https://news.sky.com/story/rupert-lowe-mistakes-ocean-rowers-for-migrants-12629291 [5] The Telegraph. (2022, August 25). Rupert Lowe mistakes ocean rowers for migrants. Retrieved September 15, 2022, from https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2022/08/25/rupert-lowe-mistakes-ocean-rowers-migrants/
- The incident involving the ROW4MND team, initially misidentified as illegal migrants, underscores the potential for miscommunications and misunderstandings in general-news events, particularly those related to topics such as war, politics, and crime-and-justice.
- Despite the chaos caused by the misidentification of the charity rowing crew, the incident also demonstrated the power of social media and public response in politics, as evidenced by the generous donations received by the ROW4MND charity following the mix-up.
