French Navy fires shots during BBC interview
UK politician claims intimidation as French authorities cite routine training.
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Gunshots were discharged by a French Navy patrol boat in the English Channel while a BBC journalist was interviewing Conservative MP Chris Philp. The incident occurred approximately three miles off the French coast at 09:15 BST on 29 July 2026. Mr Philp, who was discussing small boat crossings at the time, suggested the firing was an act of deliberate intimidation.
Incident details
BBC journalist Michael Keohan reported hearing 17 shots fired from the French vessel, which was about 300 metres away. Mr Keohan stated there were no prior warnings given regarding the firing. The French authorities, however, maintained that the shots were part of a routine training exercise. They also stated that the French patrol boat, PSP Flamant, was not monitoring migrant boats and that the British ship in the area was out of the firing range.
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Mr Philp dismissed the French explanation as 'not credible'. He told the BBC: "There were no warnings in place about live firing training exercises. It looked and sounded exactly like deliberate intimidation." He added that he intended to raise the matter with the French ambassador. The captain of the fishing boat hosting the interview, Matt Coker, described the event as unprecedented.
French explanation
A spokesperson for the French authorities confirmed that a handgun shooting exercise had taken place off the coast of Cap de Gris-Nez. They stated that French Navy units train regularly to maintain operability and that individual combatant training is a normal part of a ship's activity. The spokesperson asserted that regulatory signals were displayed according to international standards and that the safety zone was respected. The exercise, they reiterated, was unrelated to any British vessel's presence.
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A UK government spokesperson commented that the incident was a matter for the French authorities.
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