France makes first interception targeting small boat crossings to UK
France Launches First At-Sea Interventions to Block Migrant Boats
French officials have launched their first operations at sea as part of a new strategy aimed at blocking small boats carrying illegal migrants to the UK. On Saturday, French officers boarded a so-called "taxi boat" in Gravelines, located on the Channel coast near Calais. This marks a significant shift in tactics agreed upon in November, following increasing pressure from the UK government to step up active interventions.
Footage of the aftermath of the operation shows a group of men, suspected to be people smugglers, on an inflatable dinghy with a police launch alongside. The inflatable was subsequently towed back to the dockside. The BBC has contacted the French authorities for further clarification.
A Shift in Tactics
During a summit in the United Kingdom last July, President Emmanuel Macron and Sir Keir Starmer agreed that France would adopt these new tactics. Previously, French police had only attempted to stop small boats from being launched from beaches; they had not intercepted them once they were in the water, as boarding them was considered too dangerous.
However, smuggling gangs learned to bypass beach patrols by using "taxi boats." These vessels enter the water at a distance and cruise along the coast to pick up groups of migrants waiting at various points along the shore.
Data and Success Rates
According to official French reports, the previous beach-focused strategy was highly effective, yielding an 81% success rate in 2025. Nevertheless, the number of migrants arriving in the UK from France rose last year to 41,472, up from 36,566 in 2024 (though still below the 2022 peak of 45,774).
Following the deal in July 2025 to begin on-water operations, there were further delays due to concerns regarding the danger to life and the legal immunity of officers should a fatality occur during an intervention. These concerns now appear to have been addressed.
Operational Guidelines
Gendarmes will now intervene to stop "taxi boats" before they are fully loaded with passengers, rather than attempting to intercept them once they are at full capacity and more prone to capsizing. This appears to have been the approach used during Saturday's operation. The inflatable, which was navigating the canal toward the open sea, was intended to pick up migrants further down the coast; the police intervened early to arrest those already on board and prevent the pick-up from occurring.
