French authorities to begin stopping small boats in Channel following UK pressure
French officials have consented to start stopping small boats in the Channel, after an extended period of insistence from the UK.
The change in policy follows the British leader wrote to the President asking him to support the initiative and saying there presently "have no effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage.
French security forces have been authorized to intercept the migrant vessels at sea, but only before they've collected their passengers, according to authoritative confirmation.
French authorities have rarely intervened to stop the overcrowded boats leaving the shoreline because it is considered too great a risk to both officers and civilians.
"It is crucial that we deploy these methods this period... We have no effective prevention in the Channel waters."
Now, a French naval police spokesperson states personnel will begin intervening at sea, with the objective of protecting human life.
Significantly, the official ruled out the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had previously been reported as a potential method to disable the engines of the vessels.
This determination to intervene at all is a significant advancement, following a short-lived shift towards a stricter strategy this summer, which dropped off when the former Interior Minister left government.
That was highlighted in July, preceding a summit between the Prime Minister and President, when French police were witnessed wading into the sea to slash the sides of a boat.
Now French officials will again be permitted to stop boats before they pick up asylum-seeking passengers from the coastal areas of northern France, however it's uncertain how the small boats will be prevented.
Powerful gusts are presently delaying the start of interceptions and the human trafficking networks will be seeking methods to adjust to evade interception, as they have frequently done in the past.
UK immigration authorities and Downing Street have been contacted for response.
Related Developments
- Reasons Britain can't just return asylum seekers to French territory
- France backing away from pledge to stop migrant boats
UK immigration
Channel crossings
Border security
