French authorities to begin stopping small boats in English Channel after UK pressure
French officials have consented to begin intercepting migrant vessels in the Channel, following months of pressure from the UK.
The change in policy comes after the British leader sent a letter to the President asking him to back the initiative and saying there currently "have no effective preventive measure" in the Channel.
French maritime police will be allowed to intercept the small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their migrants, according to authoritative confirmation.
French authorities have rarely intervened to stop the heavily loaded boats leaving the shoreline because it is considered too great a risk to both officers and civilians.
"It is crucial that we deploy these tactics this month... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel."
Currently, a French maritime police representative says officers will start intervening at sea, with the objective of safeguarding human life.
Notably, the spokesperson excluded the use of nets to intercept boats, which had previously been suggested as a possible method to snarl the propellers of the vessels.
This determination to take action at all is a significant step forward, following a brief change towards a more aggressive approach this summer, which dropped off when the former government official left office.
This was demonstrated in the summer month, in the run-up to a meeting between the Prime Minister and President, when authorities were observed wading into the sea to damage the hulls of a vessel.
Currently French authorities will again be allowed to intercept boats before they pick up migrant individuals from the coastal areas of northern France, however it's uncertain how the small boats will be stopped.
Strong winds are currently delaying the commencement of interceptions and the people-smuggling networks will be looking for ways to adjust to evade detection, as they have frequently done in the previous instances.
UK immigration authorities and Downing Street have been approached for response.
Connected Developments
- Reasons Britain cannot just send back migrants to French territory
- France withdrawing from commitment to intercept migrant boats
UK immigration
Channel crossings
Border security
