France Will Not Intervene in Shallow Waters to Stop Migrant Boats, Interior Minister Says
Minister Laurent Nunez states that damaging migrant dinghies is 'unacceptable' and prioritizes saving lives.
French police will not intervene in shallow waters to halt migrant dinghies bound for the United Kingdom, according to the nation's interior minister. Laurent Nunez, a member of President Emmanuel Macron's government, stated that officers damaging the vessels is unacceptable and that the priority is saving human lives.
Appearing before a parliamentary commission studying UK-French migration treaties, Nunez addressed footage that appeared to show French police wading into the water to damage a small boat. He reiterated that the primary duty is to prevent people from taking to the water, and that intervention at sea is a separate matter carried out under strict conditions by the maritime prefect.
Nunez outlined two primary frameworks for French police to intercept small boats. Officers are tasked with intercepting them on land. Additionally, a specialized, elite police unit is authorized to stop boats at sea. This unit has reportedly intercepted ten dinghies since its recent launch, with interventions at sea only occurring when deemed absolutely necessary to save human lives.
Nunez's remarks come as a significant number of asylum seekers have crossed the English Channel in recent days. On Wednesday, 781 migrants arrived in the UK, marking a daily record for 2026. Despite this, the overall number of Channel crossings is down more than 40 percent compared to the previous year, with 18,579 migrants having arrived in Britain so far this year.