France's SNSM lifeboat service refused to bring 120 migrants aboard its own vessels during a Channel crossing towards Portsmouth, saying doing so risked capsizing the overloaded dinghy, and instead shadowed the boat until it entered British waters, where two RNLI lifeboats took over the rescue. The incident has reignited criticism of France's approach to Channel crossings, with the Shadow Home Secretary accusing French authorities of failing to intervene early enough and allowing crossings to continue despite the UK paying millions towards joint efforts to stop them.

The Prefecture of Manche spent around £90,000 deploying five boats and two helicopters to monitor the dinghy from Utah Beach in Normandy, but said migrants typically refuse rescue offers unless in extreme danger, and it would not force them onto French vessels given the boats' fragility. The migrants were eventually landed at Eastney near Portsmouth on Sunday after the RNLI lifeboats were barred from docking at Southampton and Portsmouth under threat of prosecution, and their arrival triggered violent protests involving clashes between demonstrators and riot police, with officers reportedly pushed from motorbikes and pelted with bricks.