French officers were seen throwing life jackets to migrants as another day of chaos erupted in the Channel. A warship fired live bullets in an attempt to 'intimidate' UK Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp as he covered the crisis.
Longest Channel Crossing Attempted
Smugglers attempted a 70-mile crossing from Fecamp to Eastbourne, the longest Channel migrant crossing ever tried. In another extraordinary day, a bumbling French officer fired roughly 17 shots off the end of the vessel carrying Tory MP Mr Philp.
Drone Footage Shows Life Jackets Handed Out
Drone footage obtained by the Daily Express revealed officers flinging life jackets to those crammed onto an inflatable dinghy. One officer passed the aids to waiting asylum seekers, as another checked that everyone had one.
Smugglers are trying to circumvent a crackdown in the Dunkirk and Calais regions to flood Britain with migrants. In a callous attempt, they launched a dinghy from Fecamp destined for Eastbourne. This would have left dozens of people with a terrifying 70-mile journey across one of the world's busiest shipping lanes. The crossing from Dover to Calais is roughly 27 miles.
A lifeboat from Eastbourne is racing to the scene, along with the Border Force vessel Volunteer and Border Security Command vessels. It comes on the day when new Prime Minister Andy Burnham claimed Labour's plan to stop the boats was working.
Chris Philp's Account
Mr Philp said: 'We've seen well over 1,000 illegal immigrants cross in just the last few days. Shabana Mahmood's deal with the French is not working – I witnessed with my own eyes today the French doing nothing to stop a migrant boat, and even helped by handing out life jackets.'
'The only thing protecting our borders is the weather. We are now seeing mega dinghies – Burnham Boats – with over 150 migrants on board.'
'By saying there's no problem, Andy Burnham is showing he is out of touch with reality – a reality I have just witnessed on the Channel with my own eyes.'
'We must leave the ECHR so illegal immigrants can be deported within a week of arrival. That is the only way to deter these dangerous and illegal crossings by these mainly young, male illegal immigrants.'
Statistics Since Labour's Election
Almost 900 migrants have reached Britain since Mr Burnham took office, including one 'mega dinghy' carrying 165 people on Thursday alone, as the crisis in the Channel shows little sign of easing. Analysis of government data shows 77,183 migrants have crossed the Channel since Labour's election victory in July 2024, with 13,007 arrivals recorded so far this year.
