Captain Chris ‘Hunter-Killer’ Philp takes on French navy single-handed | John Crace

Captain Chris Philp was on patrol in the Channel, focusing on detecting and intercepting vessels carrying illegal immigrants. His current activities represent a departure from his previous role as immigration minister, during which he had aimed to accommodate new arrivals. Philp stated his objective was to halt unauthorized crossings.

During an early morning surveillance mission, Philp reported a single sighting: a child with a swimming aid off the coast of Boulogne. Expressing concern that such an instance could signal the precursor to larger crossings, he called for assistance from the Royal Air Force. An RAF Typhoon FGR4 aircraft subsequently responded to the situation.

Approximately half an hour after this event, Philp observed a French warship appear to starboard. He reported hearing what he described as seventeen indistinct popping sounds in the distance. Interpreting this as an assault, Philp instructed his crew to take cover.

However, the crew members aboard Philp’s vessel, which was camouflaged as a fishing boat, did not appear to share his alarm. A deckhand explained that the sounds originated from a French sailor test-firing a handgun into the sea, away from their boat, characterizing it as a routine action.

Captain Philp maintained his conviction that the incident was a deliberate act of intimidation by the French, which he linked to his efforts to prevent small boat crossings. He expressed suspicion about potential advanced weaponry and claimed to have narrowly escaped injury, even though his crew assessed the shots were not aimed at them, and many had not even perceived the sounds. Philp speculated that a silencer might have been used.

He asserted that the French had attempted to eliminate him due to his success in disrupting crossings, further suggesting he was prepared to risk initiating a global conflict. He drew comparisons to historical conflicts involving Napoleon and referenced British involvement in the Second World War. A Border Force member commented that naval exercises involving military vessels are a common occurrence at sea.