French Navy carries out shooting drill mid interview

Figure caption, A French Navy boat was heard firing shots during a BBC interview earlierByDaniel SextonSouth EastA French Navy patrol boat has carried out a handgun shooting exercise "without warning" in the English Channel during a BBC interview with an MP.Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp MP was being interviewed about small boat crossings by BBC journalist Michael Keohan as a French warship passed by at 09:15 BST (10:15 CET), about three miles from the French coast.Keohan said there were 17 shots but "no warnings" from the boat approximately 300m away, which left Philp believing it was an intimidation tactic to "stop us covering migrant crossings".The French authorities said it was part of a training exercise, unrelated to the presence of a British ship, which it said was out of range of fire.Image source, BBC/Jack ValpyImage caption, Chris Philp MP, the Shadow Home Secretary, said it felt like an intimidation tactic or warning shotsThe captain of the fishing boat which hosted the interview, Matt Coker, said he had "never seen anything like it before".The French authorities said the boat, PSP Flamant, was not engaged in an operation to monitor migrant boats.Keohan said there wer...