France will start intercepting migrant vessels in Channel after British demands
France has agreed to start stopping small boats in the Channel, after an extended period of insistence from the UK.
This policy shift comes after the Prime Minister wrote to the President asking him to back the initiative and saying there currently "have no effective deterrent" in the Channel.
French security forces will be allowed to stop the small boats at sea, but only before they've collected their passengers, according to official confirmation.
French authorities have infrequently intervened to prevent the overcrowded boats departing from the coastline because it is viewed as excessively high a danger to both officers and civilians.
"It is crucial that we deploy these methods this month... We have no effective prevention in the Channel."
Now, a French maritime police spokesperson says officers will begin taking action at sea, with the aim of protecting human life.
Notably, the official excluded the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had previously been suggested as a possible technique to snarl the engines of the vessels.
The decision to intervene at all is a significant step forward, following a brief shift towards a stricter approach this summer, which ceased when the previous Interior Minister departed from office.
That was highlighted in the summer month, preceding a summit between the Prime Minister and French president, when authorities were observed walking into the sea to slash the sides of a boat.
Currently French authorities will once more be allowed to intercept boats before they collect migrant individuals from the coastal areas of northern France, although it's uncertain how the vessels will be stopped.
Powerful gusts are currently postponing the start of interceptions and the human trafficking gangs will be looking for ways to adapt to avoid detection, as they have done so often in the previous instances.
UK immigration authorities and Downing Street have been approached for comment.
Connected Updates
- Reasons Britain can't just return migrants to French territory
- French government withdrawing from commitment to stop migrant boats
UK immigration
Channel crossings
Border security
