French authorities will start stopping small boats in Channel following UK pressure
French officials have consented to start intercepting migrant vessels in the English Channel, after months of insistence from the United Kingdom.
The change in policy comes after the British leader sent a letter to the French leader asking him to support the initiative and stating there currently "have no effective deterrent" in the maritime passage.
French maritime police have been authorized to stop the small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their migrants, according to official statements.
French police have rarely intervened to stop the overcrowded boats leaving the shoreline because it is viewed as too great a danger to both personnel and individuals.
"It is crucial that we implement these tactics this period... We have zero effective deterrent in the Channel waters."
Now, a French maritime police representative says personnel will start taking action at sea, with the aim of safeguarding human life.
Significantly, the spokesperson ruled out the use of entanglement devices to intercept boats, which had previously been suggested as a possible technique to disable the engines of the boats.
This determination to intervene at all is a major step forward, following a short-lived shift towards a stricter approach this warmer season, which dropped off when the former government official left government.
That was highlighted in the summer month, in the run-up to a meeting between the UK leader and President, when French police were observed walking into the sea to damage the hulls of a vessel.
Now French authorities will once more be allowed to intercept boats prior to they collect asylum-seeking individuals from the coastal areas of France's north coast, however it's not clear how the vessels will be stopped.
Powerful gusts are presently postponing the commencement of interceptions and the human trafficking gangs will be seeking methods to adapt to evade detection, as they have frequently done in the past.
UK immigration authorities and Downing Street have been approached for response.
Connected Developments
- Reasons UK can't just return asylum seekers to French territory
- French government backing away from commitment to stop asylum boats
UK immigration
Channel crossings
Border security
