Moment French police boat closely circles migrant dinghy headed for British waters causing it to flood – as experts warn ‘pushback’ tactics could cause ‘mass casualty event’

Watch the moment a French police boat closely circles a migrant dinghy headed for British waters, causing it to flood.

The two videos filmed in October 2023, were obtained during a joint investigate by the Observer, Lighthouse Reports, Le Monde and Der Spiegel, and shows the officers trying to physically force a small boat to turn around.  

The aggressive tactics, used by British funded French police, including circling a migrant boat, creating waves to flood the dinghy; ramming into a small boat while threatening passengers with pepper spray; and puncturing boats when they are already at sea.

Now experts have warned that these ‘pushback’ tactics could cause a mass casualty event.’

The aggressive tactics, used by British funded French police, including circling a migrant boat, creating waves to flood the dinghy and ramming into a small boat

An anonymous search and rescue expert, spoke to the Observer: ‘This is a textbook pushback – exactly the same as we see in Greece.’ 

‘That one manoeuvre alone could cause a mass casualty event. The water is deep enough to drown in. I’ve seen this in the central Mediterranean many times, but this is the first time I’ve ever seen anything like this happening in the Channel.’

In 2020 another video was leaked of Greek authorities performing similar tactics. A coastguard officer was seen prodding a large dingy full of migrants repeatedly with a large stick before shots are later seen hitting the water around the boat. 

Senior UK Border Force sources confirmed that these dangerous methods could likely lead to death: ‘If the blades [of the French boat] make contact with the vessel, it will slash right through it.’

‘The other thing is a collision. The weight and the force of that vessel could ride straight over the top of the rib. It would knock the passengers out, knock them unconscious and into the water. It could potentially lead to death. I can’t believe any mariner could condone that.’

Senior UK Border Force sources confirmed that these dangerous methods could likely lead to death: ‘If the blades [of the French boat] make contact with the vessel, it will slash right through it’

The second video allegedly shows members of the French gendarmerie drive alongside a dinghy and threaten the passengers with a large tank of pepper spray, before ramming their boat into the dingy.

France and Britain signed a declaration in November 2022 that saw then-home secretary Suella Braverman and French interior minister Gérald Darmanin commit to improving their cooperation in tackling illegal migration.

France has been tasked with stepping up efforts to prevent Channel crossings in recent years by deploying more police and drawing on extra equipment and facilities in the wake of deals with the UK worth £191.3 million between 2018 and 2022.

Prime minister Rishi Sunak has also promised to spend £480 million on policing the border between 2023 and 2026, which includes a contribution towards the creation of a detention centre in France.

Rishi Sunak’s Rwanda deportation plan has been hit by further delay after defiant peers dug their heels in and inflicted fresh defeats on his flagship immigration policy earlier this week.