A flotilla of "Little Ships" crossing the English Channel to commemorate the 85th anniversary of the Dunkirk evacuation was forced to change course to make way for a migrant boat.
The fleet of 66 vessels set sail from Ramsgate, Kent, to Dunkirk at 6am on Wednesday to mark Operation Dynamo.
The commemorative journey, intended as a "poignant tribute to the bravery and sacrifice" of the Dunkirk evacuations, was disrupted when authorities demanded the flotilla be diverted.
Border Force and the French navy requested the flotilla provide a one-nautical mile exclusion zone for a migrant boat being escorted across the Channel.
A flotilla of Little Ships sail out of Ramsgate, Kent, during the start of 'Dunkirk 85', the Association of Dunkirk Little Ships (ADLS) commemorative cruise to Dunkirk, to mark the 85th anniversary of Operation Dynamo
PA
Marine traffic audio revealed the "Little Ships" were told: "There is a [French] warship on our head with a migrant [boat] close by. And we've been requested to give one nautical mile distance from that vessel, over."
A French voice, believed to be from the French navy, responded: "Thank you, sir. Thank you very much."
After hearing of the incident, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage took to X, he said: "This says it all about the destruction of our history and our values. The aggressive young males on their way over have nothing in common with us."
One observer commented: "They have asked the British ships to get out of the way. It is one of the most important days in history and they are shoving them out of the way."
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The fleet of 66 vessels set sail from Ramsgate, Kent, to Dunkirk at 6am on Wednesday to mark Operation Dynamo.
PA
The Association of Dunkirk Little Ships (ADLS), which organised the voyage, had said it would ensure "the legacy of the Dunkirk little ships continues to inspire future generations".
This year's crossing marks the first time the little ships have made the journey since 2015.
The rerouting coincided with the death of two migrants in the Channel, who died during an overnight crossing attempt from northern France.
Later on Wednesday, a woman and a child also died in another illegal crossing, bringing the total migrant deaths in the Channel this year to 14.
The commemorative journey was disrupted when authorities demanded the flotilla be diverted
PA
The "Little Ships" were vessels volunteered or requisitioned by the Government for the evacuations, crewed mainly by Royal Navy personnel.
The original Dunkirk operation in 1940 involved around 1,000 British pleasure boats that rescued more than 300,000 Allied soldiers from the Nazi advance.
Chris Bannister, who owns a boat that served as a tug during the evacuation, said: "If we don't carry out the commemoration like we are today, then the people who have sacrificed their lives many years ago, the memory of them, will stop."
The operation prompted Winston Churchill's famous "We shall fight on the beaches" speech.
