French authorities will start stopping migrant vessels in Channel after UK pressure
France has agreed to start intercepting small boats in the English Channel, following months of insistence from the United Kingdom.
This policy shift follows the Prime Minister sent a letter to the French leader urging him to support the initiative and saying there presently "lack any effective deterrent" in the Channel.
French maritime police have been authorized to intercept the small boats at sea, but only before they've collected their passengers, according to official confirmation.
French authorities have rarely intervened to prevent the heavily loaded boats departing from the shoreline because it is viewed as excessively high a danger to both personnel and civilians.
"It is crucial that we implement these methods this period... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel."
Currently, a French naval police representative says officers will start intervening at sea, with the objective of safeguarding lives.
Significantly, the spokesperson ruled out the use of nets to stop boats, which had earlier been suggested as a potential method to snarl the engines of the boats.
This determination to take action at all is a major step forward, coming after a brief change towards a more aggressive approach this summer, which ceased when the previous government official left office.
This was demonstrated in July, preceding a meeting between the Prime Minister and President, when authorities were observed walking into the sea to damage the sides of a vessel.
Currently French officials will again be permitted to stop boats prior to they collect asylum-seeking individuals from the beaches of France's north coast, however it's uncertain how the small boats will be stopped.
Strong winds are presently postponing the commencement of interceptions and the human trafficking gangs will be looking for methods to adapt to avoid 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 can't just send back asylum seekers to French territory
- France withdrawing from pledge to intercept migrant boats
UK immigration
Channel crossings
Border security
