France to begin stopping small boats in English Channel following UK pressure
France has agreed to begin intercepting migrant vessels in the Channel, after months of pressure from the United Kingdom.
This policy shift follows the Prime Minister sent a letter to the French leader asking him to support the initiative and stating there presently "lack any effective deterrent" in the Channel.
French security forces will be allowed to stop the small boats at sea, but only before they've picked up their passengers, according to authoritative statements.
French authorities have rarely acted to stop the overcrowded boats departing from the coastline because it is considered too great a danger to both officers and individuals.
"It is crucial that we implement these tactics this month... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel."
Now, a French naval police representative states personnel will begin intervening at sea, with the aim of protecting lives.
Significantly, the spokesperson excluded the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had earlier been suggested as a possible technique to snarl the engines of the boats.
This determination to intervene at all is a significant step forward, following a short-lived shift towards a stricter approach this warmer season, which ceased when the former Interior Minister departed from office.
This was demonstrated in the summer month, preceding a meeting between the Prime Minister and French president, when French police were observed wading into the sea to damage the sides of a boat.
Currently French authorities will again be permitted to intercept boats before they pick up asylum-seeking passengers from the beaches of northern France, although it's uncertain how the vessels will be prevented.
Strong winds are presently delaying the start of intervention operations and the human trafficking networks will be looking for ways to adapt to evade interception, as they have done so often in the previous instances.
UK immigration authorities and the Prime Minister's office have been approached for comment.
Related Updates
- Reasons Britain can't just send back asylum seekers to French territory
- France withdrawing from commitment to stop asylum boats
UK immigration
Channel crossings
Border security