France will start stopping small boats in English Channel after British demands
France has agreed to start stopping small boats in the Channel, following an extended period of insistence from the UK.
This policy shift comes after the Prime Minister wrote to the French leader urging him to support the plan and stating there currently "have no effective deterrent" in the maritime passage.
French security forces have been authorized to intercept the migrant vessels at sea, but only before they've picked up their passengers, according to authoritative confirmation.
French authorities have rarely intervened to stop the heavily loaded boats departing from the coastline because it is considered excessively high a risk to both officers and individuals.
"It is essential that we deploy these methods this month... We have zero effective deterrent in the Channel waters."
Now, a French maritime police representative says personnel will start intervening at sea, with the aim of protecting human life.
Significantly, the official excluded the use of nets to intercept boats, which had earlier been suggested as a potential method to snarl the engines of the vessels.
This determination to intervene at all is a major step forward, following a brief shift towards a more aggressive strategy this warmer season, which ceased when the previous government official departed from office.
That was highlighted in July, in the run-up to a meeting between the UK leader and President, when French police were witnessed walking into the sea to slash the hulls of a boat.
Currently French officials will again be permitted to stop boats prior to they collect asylum-seeking individuals from the coastal areas of France's north coast, although it's uncertain how the small boats will be prevented.
Powerful gusts are currently delaying the start of interceptions and the human trafficking gangs will be seeking ways to adapt to avoid 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 UK cannot just send back migrants to French territory
- France withdrawing from pledge to stop migrant boats
UK immigration
Channel crossings
Border security
