France will start intercepting small boats in Channel after UK pressure
France has agreed to begin stopping small boats in the English Channel, following months of pressure from the United Kingdom.
This policy shift comes after the British leader wrote to the President asking him to back the initiative and saying there presently "lack any effective deterrent" in the maritime passage.
French security forces will be allowed to intercept the migrant vessels at sea, but only before they've collected their passengers, according to authoritative confirmation.
French police have infrequently acted to stop the overcrowded boats leaving the coastline because it is considered excessively high a risk 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 spokesperson says officers will start intervening at sea, with the objective of protecting human life.
Significantly, the official excluded the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had previously been suggested as a potential method to snarl the engines of the vessels.
The decision to take action at all is a significant advancement, following a short-lived shift towards a stricter strategy this warmer season, which dropped off when the former government official left office.
This was demonstrated in the summer month, preceding a summit between the UK leader and President, when French police were observed walking into the sea to slash the hulls of a boat.
Now French officials will again be permitted to intercept boats before they pick up asylum-seeking individuals from the coastal areas of northern France, however it's not clear how the vessels will be prevented.
Powerful gusts are presently delaying the commencement of intervention operations and the human trafficking gangs will be looking for ways to adapt to avoid interception, as they have frequently done in the past.
UK immigration authorities and the Prime Minister's office have been approached for comment.
Related Updates
- Why Britain can't just return migrants to France
- French government backing away from commitment to intercept migrant boats
UK immigration
Channel crossings
Border security
