Britain’s Border Force and the French Navy have been caught in a conversation about giving back life jackets that were handed to migrants crossing the English Channel.
A leaked audio recording reportedly captured this exchange, where someone aboard the British vessel Typhoon offered to return the jackets to the French. In response, the French confirmed that 34 migrants were on their boat and agreed to take the equipment back.
The recording also mentioned that once all the migrants were on board, the life jackets would be returned either by a British or French boat. The UK Home Office has not yet responded to this report.
A British fisherman, Ben Coker, who owns Coker Seafishing, told Times Radio that the French seem to be helping migrants by giving them life jackets, possibly to prevent more deaths in the Channel. He claimed the French Navy sometimes escorts migrant boats halfway, where the UK Border Force then picks them up. He believes this makes the dangerous journey seem easier and safer, which might be encouraging more people to try it.
The UK’s Shadow Home Secretary, Chris Philp, criticized the French, saying they’re helping people enter Britain illegally and called it “shameful.”
Meanwhile, a senior official in France’s Interior Ministry denied that they give life jackets to smugglers or migrants involved in illegal crossings. They said doing so would be illegal and could encourage more people to attempt the journey.
However, a spokesperson from the French North Sea maritime authority told the *Telegraph* that French officials *do* sometimes hand out life jackets—but only in emergencies. For example, if a boat is in poor condition, the weather is dangerous, or if some people want to be rescued while others want to continue. He also said giving life jackets isn’t a regular practice, and the decision depends on safety risks and how cooperative the migrants are.
The spokesperson added that British and French authorities work together to collect and reuse life jackets. Sometimes the gear is transferred from one boat to another or handed back during scheduled exchanges.
As of Tuesday, April 8, about 6,796 people had crossed the Channel into the UK this year—25% more than the same time in 2024, and 49% more than in 2023. According to government figures, over 30,000 people have arrived since Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer took office in July, despite efforts to stop the people-smuggling networks.
New photos released this week showed migrants wearing life jackets stepping off Border Force and RNLI boats in Dover. The crossings happened during calm weather, just a few days after 154 people arrived in the UK in four boats on Friday, April 4.
