French authorities to begin intercepting migrant vessels in Channel following UK pressure
France has agreed to start stopping small boats in the English Channel, after an extended period of pressure from the United Kingdom.
This policy shift comes after the British leader wrote to the President asking him to support the plan and saying there currently "have no effective deterrent" in the maritime passage.
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 statements.
French authorities have rarely acted to prevent the overcrowded boats departing from the shoreline because it is viewed as too great a risk to both officers and individuals.
"It is crucial that we implement these tactics this period... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel."
Currently, a French maritime police representative states officers will begin taking action at sea, with the aim of safeguarding lives.
Significantly, the spokesperson ruled out the use of nets to intercept boats, which had previously been reported as a possible method to snarl the engines of the boats.
The decision to intervene at all is a significant step forward, coming after a short-lived change towards a more aggressive strategy this summer, which ceased when the previous Interior Minister departed from office.
This was demonstrated in July, in the run-up to a summit between the UK leader and French president, when authorities were observed walking into the sea to damage the sides of a boat.
Now French authorities will again be permitted to stop boats before they pick up asylum-seeking passengers from the beaches of France's north coast, however it's uncertain how the vessels will be prevented.
Powerful gusts are presently postponing the commencement of intervention operations and the people-smuggling gangs will be seeking ways to adjust to evade detection, as they have done so often in the past.
UK immigration authorities and the Prime Minister's office have been approached for response.
Related Developments
- Why UK cannot just send back asylum seekers to French territory
- France backing away from commitment to stop asylum boats
UK immigration
Channel crossings
Border security
