French authorities will start intercepting migrant vessels in Channel after British demands
France has agreed to begin stopping small boats in the English Channel, following months of insistence from the United Kingdom.
The change in policy follows the Prime Minister sent a letter to the French leader asking him to back the plan and stating there presently "lack any effective deterrent" in the maritime passage.
French security forces will be allowed to intercept the migrant vessels at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their passengers, according to authoritative statements.
French police have rarely intervened to stop the heavily loaded boats leaving the coastline because it is viewed as too great a danger to both officers and civilians.
"It is crucial that we deploy these tactics this period... We have no effective prevention in the Channel."
Now, a French maritime police representative says personnel will start intervening at sea, with the objective of protecting lives.
Notably, the spokesperson ruled out the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had earlier been suggested as a potential technique to disable the engines of the boats.
This determination to take action at all is a significant step forward, coming after a brief change towards a stricter approach this warmer season, which ceased when the previous Interior Minister left office.
That was highlighted in July, preceding a meeting between the Prime Minister and President, when French police were witnessed wading into the sea to damage the hulls of a vessel.
Now French officials will once more be permitted to intercept boats prior to they collect asylum-seeking passengers from the beaches of northern France, although it's not clear how the vessels will be prevented.
Strong winds are currently postponing the start of intervention operations and the people-smuggling networks will be looking for methods to adapt to evade interception, as they have frequently done in the past.
The Home Office and the Prime Minister's office have been approached for comment.
Connected Updates
- Reasons UK can't just send back asylum seekers to French territory
- French government backing away from pledge to intercept migrant boats
UK immigration
Channel crossings
Border security
