French authorities to begin intercepting small boats in English Channel following UK pressure
French officials have consented to begin stopping migrant vessels in the Channel, after months of insistence from the United Kingdom.
The change in policy follows the British leader sent a letter to the President urging him to back the initiative and stating there presently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the Channel.
French security forces will be allowed to stop the migrant vessels at sea, but only before they've picked up their passengers, according to official statements.
French police have rarely intervened to stop the overcrowded boats departing from the shoreline because it is considered excessively high a risk to both personnel and civilians.
"It is crucial that we deploy these methods this month... We have zero effective deterrent in the Channel."
Now, a French naval police representative states officers will begin taking action at sea, with the objective of protecting lives.
Notably, the spokesperson ruled out the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had previously been suggested as a possible technique to disable the engines of the vessels.
This determination to take action at all is a significant step forward, coming after a short-lived shift towards a stricter strategy this summer, which ceased when the former government official left government.
That was highlighted in July, preceding a meeting between the Prime Minister and French president, when authorities were witnessed walking into the sea to slash the hulls of a boat.
Now French officials will once more be allowed to stop boats before they pick up migrant individuals from the coastal areas of France's north coast, although it's not clear how the vessels will be prevented.
Powerful gusts are presently postponing the commencement of intervention operations and the human trafficking networks will be looking for methods to adapt to avoid interception, as they have frequently done in the past.
The Home Office and Downing Street have been approached for comment.
Connected Developments
- Reasons Britain cannot just return migrants to French territory
- French government backing away from commitment to stop asylum boats
UK immigration
Channel crossings
Border security
