French authorities to begin intercepting small boats in Channel after British demands
France has agreed to begin stopping migrant vessels in the Channel, following an extended period of pressure from the UK.
The change in policy comes after the British leader wrote to the French leader asking him to support the initiative and saying there presently "have no effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage.
French maritime police will be allowed to intercept the migrant vessels at sea, but exclusively prior to they've picked up their passengers, according to authoritative statements.
French police have rarely acted to prevent the overcrowded boats leaving the shoreline because it is viewed as too great a danger to both officers and individuals.
"It is essential that we implement these tactics this period... We have zero effective deterrent in the Channel."
Now, a French maritime police representative states personnel will begin taking action at sea, with the aim of safeguarding human life.
Notably, the spokesperson ruled out the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had previously been suggested as a potential method to disable the engines of the boats.
The decision to intervene at all is a significant step forward, coming after a brief shift towards a more aggressive strategy this warmer season, which dropped off when the previous government official left office.
That was highlighted in July, preceding a meeting between the Prime Minister and French president, when authorities were observed wading into the sea to slash the hulls of a boat.
Now French officials will once more be allowed to intercept boats prior to they collect migrant passengers from the coastal areas of France's north coast, however it's uncertain how the vessels will be stopped.
Strong winds are presently delaying the start of interceptions and the human trafficking networks will be seeking methods to adapt to evade detection, as they have frequently done in the previous instances.
The Home Office and the Prime Minister's office have been contacted for comment.
Related Developments
- Why UK cannot just return asylum seekers to France
- French government backing away from commitment to intercept migrant boats
UK immigration
Channel crossings
Border security
