French authorities to begin stopping migrant vessels in Channel following UK pressure
France has agreed to start intercepting small boats in the Channel, after months of insistence from the UK.
The change in policy follows the British leader sent a letter to the President urging him to back the initiative and stating there currently "lack any effective deterrent" in the Channel.
French maritime police have been authorized to stop the small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've picked up their migrants, according to official statements.
French authorities have rarely acted to prevent the heavily loaded boats leaving the coastline because it is considered excessively high a risk to both officers and individuals.
"It is essential that we deploy these methods this month... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel waters."
Currently, a French naval police spokesperson says officers will start taking action at sea, with the objective of safeguarding human life.
Notably, the official excluded the use of entanglement devices to intercept boats, which had previously been suggested as a possible technique to snarl the propellers of the boats.
The decision to take action at all is a significant step forward, coming after a brief change towards a more aggressive strategy this warmer season, which ceased when the former government official departed from government.
That was highlighted in July, in the run-up to a summit between the UK leader and President, when French police were observed wading into the sea to damage the hulls of a vessel.
Now French officials will once more be permitted to stop boats prior to they collect asylum-seeking passengers from the coastal areas of France's north coast, however it's not clear how the vessels will be stopped.
Strong winds are currently delaying the commencement of interceptions and the human trafficking networks will be looking for ways to adapt to evade detection, as they have done so often in the previous instances.
The Home Office and the Prime Minister's office have been approached for response.
Related Developments
- Reasons Britain cannot just return asylum seekers to French territory
- France withdrawing from pledge to stop migrant boats
UK immigration
Channel crossings
Border security
