Philp rejected the French authorities’ explanation, saying: “I don’t buy the line from the French that this was routine training. It felt intimidatory and like it was done to stop us following what was happening in the Channel. It felt like a warning.”
The French Coastguard said the exercise was intended to “maintain high levels of operability” and that “safety measures were respected”.
In a statement, it added the firing exercise “had nothing to do with a British ship in the area”.
The UK government said it was in contact with the French authorities to establish the facts surrounding the incident.
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