French officials say maritime officers have halted small boats at sea in the Channel 10 times since the spring, using intervention tactics to board or control vessels and return asylum seekers to France.
Key facts
- French authorities halted small boats at sea on 10 occasions since spring, officials said Friday.
- Maritime prefect officers used 'intervention tactics' to board or control vessels at sea.
- Asylum seekers stopped at sea were taken back to France.
- The disclosure challenges Conservative and Reform claims that French police were refusing to intervene.
French authorities have halted small boats at sea in the Channel on 10 occasions since the spring, officials said on Friday, according to the Guardian.
The disclosure directly challenges claims made by the Conservatives and Reform that the French authorities were refusing to intervene in small boat crossings.
According to the officials, maritime prefect officers were using what were described as “intervention tactics” to board or control vessels at sea.
In those cases, asylum seekers were taken back to France rather than continuing across the Channel, the Guardian reported.
The figures, released on Friday, provide a public accounting of how often French officers have acted at sea in recent months amid continued political scrutiny of Channel crossings.
Why it matters
Small boat crossings in the Channel remain a central and contested political issue, and the level of French cooperation is frequently debated by UK parties. The disclosure that officers intervened at sea 10 times offers evidence that counters claims that French police were declining to act.
Frequently asked questions
How many times have French officers halted small boats at sea?
French officials said on Friday that maritime officers had halted small boats at sea on 10 occasions since the spring.
What did French officers do when they stopped the boats?
According to the Guardian, maritime prefect officers used 'intervention tactics' to board or control vessels at sea and took asylum seekers back to France.
Why is this disclosure significant politically?
It challenges claims from the Conservatives and Reform that the French authorities were refusing to intervene in small boat crossings.