France is using tough “ramming” tactics to stop migrant boats entering its territory – even though it refuses to use similar methods to stop small boats departing for Britain. At least 24 people have died or disappeared at sea after lethal confrontations between migrant boats and French border police in the Indian Ocean, according to a report.
An investigation by Lighthouse Reports, in partnership with The Times, found French security forces were ramming dinghies trying to reach Mayotte, a French-owned island off the coast of east Africa. They are also circling the boats to create waves. But French authorities fail to use similar methods to stop small boats departing from France for the UK.
The Times reports a French official speaking anonymously said: “Mayotte is subject to constant migratory flows that destabilise the island. Necessity is the law. It’s a bit cynical, but that’s how it is. And then the media and political risk is incomparable. In Mayotte, if ten people die, nobody cares, it’s not news.”
So far 31,026 people have crossed the Channel in small boats in 2025.
The Government says its “one in, one out” deal with France will cut the number of illegal migrants, but attempts to start sending people back to France have been stopped by the courts.
On Tuesday, the High Court granted the Eritrean man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, a “short period of interim relief” ahead of his deportation to France scheduled for a 9am flight on Wednesday.
Liz Kendall, the Technology Secretary, told Times Radio she would not comment on “operational details”, but said: “This is one person, it is not going to undermine the fundamental basis of this deal.
“This decision is disappointing, but it won’t prevent the rest of that deal going ahead.”
Lawyers acting on the man’s behalf said the case “concerns a trafficking claim” and her client, who alleges he has a gunshot wound in his leg, claims he is vulnerable and faces a risk of “destitution” in France.
The Home Office defended the case, saying it was reasonable to expect the man to claim asylum in France.
Mr Justice Sheldon said on Tuesday evening: “It seems to me there is a serious issue to be tried with respect to the trafficking claim and whether or not the Secretary of State has carried out her investigatory duties in a lawful manner.”
He said based on the arguments made in court, it did not seem to him that there was a “real risk” the man would “suffer destitution if he was to be returned to France”.
The judge added that the case “should come back to this court as soon as is reasonably practical in light of the further representations that the claimant… will make on his trafficking decision”.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said her message to ministers was “we told you so”, while shadow home secretary Chris Philp called the returns scheme “another failed gimmick from this weak Government”.
Mr Philp added: “On Monday I told the new Home Secretary in Parliament that unless they disapply the Human Rights Act for immigration cases, their meagre returns deal would collapse in court.
“She refused to listen, and here is the predictable result.”
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage claimed the Government was “not telling the truth” about its immigration plans, adding: “Even if the policy worked, one in, one out, and with another one in, still means plus one for everyone that crosses the Channel.”
The latest setback comes after reports suggested the first flights planned to remove those back to France under the deal departed without any migrants on board on Monday and Tuesday.
Earlier on Tuesday, Downing Street denied the returns scheme was a “shambles” and rejected suggestions the postponement showed ministers were powerless in the face of the courts.
Following the High Court’s interim ruling, a Home Office spokeswoman said: “Under the new UK-France Treaty, people crossing in small boats can now be detained and removed to France. We expect the first returns to take place imminently.
“Protecting the UK border is our top priority. We will do whatever it takes to secure our borders.”
The pilot scheme was agreed by Prime Minister Sir Keir and French President Emmanuel Macron in July, in order for the UK to send back to France asylum seekers who have crossed the Channel, in exchange for those who apply and are approved to come to Britain.
France has reportedly said it will only accept a small initial contingent of deportations, while the UK has said it hopes to increase numbers over the course of the scheme in an effort to stop small boat crossings in the Channel.