French patrol boat appears to fire gunshots in the Channel during BBC interview
BBC News 2026-07-28 11:57:42
Context: A French patrol boat fired a series of gunshots in the English Channel during a live BBC interview with Chris Philp MP, the Shadow Home Secretary, on a boat approximately three miles from the French coast. The incident occurred at 09:15 BST, with the French vessel about 300m away from the BBC's boat. The gunshots were heard as 17 successive shots, with a French patrol officer seen pointing a pistol at the sea.
Key Facts
- The French patrol boat fired 17 gunshots during the BBC interview, which were heard in succession and appeared to be aimed at the sea.
- The incident occurred at 09:15 BST, approximately three miles from the French coast, with the French vessel about 300m away from the boat where the BBC interview was taking place.
- Chris Philp MP, the Shadow Home Secretary, believed the gunshots were an intimidation tactic or warning shots, stating that it "felt to me like an attempted intimidation to stop us covering migrant crossings".
- The BBC journalist, Michael Keohan, reported that there was no warning given to their boat before the gunshots were fired, and it was unclear what the patrol boat was aiming at.
- The captain of the fishing boat, Matt Coker, described the incident as unprecedented, stating that he had "never seen anything like it before".