PM says Royal Navy to stay on patrol in Jersey as French fishing boats leave after Brexit protest
A French military ship and fishing boats protesting over post-Brexit fishing rights around Jersey have returned to France - but Royal Navy ships will remain, Boris Johnson said.
The French military ops ship Athos was deployed on Thursday on a "patrol mission" after the UK sent two Royal Navy ships - HMS Severn and HMS Tamar - to Jersey "as a precaution" on Wednesday night.
Boris Johnson sent the ships ahead of a fleet of about 50 French fishing boats descending on Jersey early on Thursday after they threatened to blockade the port of St Helier to prevent goods from being delivered.
The French fishing fleet returned to France after lunchtime following talks with Jersey authorities, as did Athos.
The French foreign ministry said the UK has breached its Brexit agreement with the EU over how fishing permits to access UK waters are being issued to French boats so it is "acting in a spirit of responsibility".
Reference: Sky News: Sunita Patel-Carstairs and Alix Culbertson, news reporters