France will start stopping migrant vessels in English Channel following British demands
French officials have consented to start intercepting migrant vessels in the English Channel, following months of insistence from the UK.
This policy shift follows the Prime Minister sent a letter to the French leader urging him to back the initiative and saying there presently "lack any effective deterrent" in the maritime passage.
French maritime police have been authorized to intercept the migrant vessels at sea, but only before they've collected their passengers, according to official statements.
French authorities have rarely intervened to stop the heavily loaded boats leaving the coastline because it is viewed as too great a risk to both personnel and civilians.
"It is crucial that we deploy these methods this period... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel waters."
Now, a French naval police representative states officers will start intervening at sea, with the objective of protecting human life.
Significantly, the official excluded the use of entanglement devices to intercept boats, which had previously been suggested as a possible technique to snarl the engines of the vessels.
The decision to take action at all is a significant step forward, coming after a short-lived change towards a stricter strategy this warmer season, which ceased when the former Interior Minister departed from government.
That was highlighted in July, preceding a summit between the Prime Minister and President, when authorities were observed walking into the sea to slash the hulls of a vessel.
Now French authorities will once more be permitted to stop boats before they pick up asylum-seeking passengers from the coastal areas of northern France, however it's not clear how the small boats will be prevented.
Powerful gusts are presently postponing the start of intervention operations and the people-smuggling gangs will be seeking methods to adapt to evade detection, as they have done so often in the previous instances.
The Home Office and Downing Street have been approached for comment.
Related Developments
- Reasons UK can't just send back migrants to France
- French government backing away from commitment to stop migrant boats
UK immigration
Channel crossings
Border security
