Police authorities in France are under scrutiny after allegedly using a knife to deflate a migrant boat stranded near Calais, France, to prevent its onward journey towards the UK. Video footage circulating online shows the incident where more than 20 individuals had to return to shore as the dinghy quickly deflated. Fortunately, there were no injuries reported during the incident, and the water level was below knee height at the time.
The charity organization Utopia 56 has condemned the action, claiming it was illegal and endangered the lives of those onboard since the boat was technically considered to be at sea. According to Utopia 56, French police are bound by regulations that prohibit them from intervening once a boat is in the water to avoid jeopardizing people’s safety.
Following the incident, Utopia 56 has lodged a report with France’s Defender of Rights and filed a complaint with the IGGN National Gendarmerie Inspectorate, which handles complaints against law enforcement. The charity organization shared the video of the incident on Instagram, highlighting the dangerous practice that has allegedly been ongoing for years.
In response, a spokesperson for the Pas-de-Calais gendarmerie defended the intervention, stating that it was lawful as the boat was essentially grounded and experiencing flotation issues. The spokesperson emphasized that neutralizing the boat was necessary to prevent it from returning to sea and risking the lives of migrants during the crossing.
Recently, the UK and France reached a £660 million agreement to intercept more boats launched upstream to prevent them from picking up migrants bound for the UK. The total number of crossings since the onset of the small boats crisis in 2018 has reached approximately 200,000, with 92 individuals arriving on two boats on Monday, bringing the total to 199,920, as reported by the Sun.
Tragically, on a separate occasion, the bodies of a woman and a teenage girl were discovered on a migrant boat stranded on a French beach. It is believed that they died from crushing or suffocation following an engine explosion. Both individuals were suspected to be from Sudan.