French authorities will start stopping migrant vessels in English Channel following UK pressure
French officials have consented to begin intercepting migrant vessels in the Channel, after an extended period of pressure from the United Kingdom.
This policy shift follows the Prime Minister wrote to the French leader asking him to support the plan and stating there currently "lack any effective deterrent" in the maritime passage.
French maritime police have been authorized to intercept the small boats at sea, but only before they've picked up their passengers, according to official statements.
French authorities have infrequently acted 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 essential that we implement these tactics this period... We have no effective prevention in the Channel waters."
Now, a French maritime police spokesperson says personnel will start taking action at sea, with the aim of safeguarding lives.
Notably, the spokesperson ruled out the use of nets to stop boats, which had previously been reported as a possible technique to snarl the engines of the vessels.
The decision to intervene at all is a major step forward, coming after a short-lived shift towards a more aggressive strategy this summer, which dropped off when the previous Interior Minister left office.
This was demonstrated in July, in the run-up to a meeting between the UK leader and President, when authorities were witnessed walking into the sea to damage the hulls of a vessel.
Currently French officials will once more be permitted to intercept boats prior to they collect migrant passengers from the coastal areas of northern France, however it's not clear how the small boats will be stopped.
Powerful gusts are presently postponing the start of intervention operations and the human trafficking networks will be seeking methods to adapt to evade interception, as they have frequently done in the past.
The Home Office and Downing Street have been contacted for comment.
Connected Developments
- Why Britain can't just send back asylum seekers to France
- France backing away from commitment to intercept migrant boats
UK immigration
Channel crossings
Border security
