France to begin intercepting small boats in Channel after British demands
France has agreed to start stopping small boats in the Channel, following months of insistence from the UK.
This policy shift comes after the British leader wrote to the French leader urging him to support the initiative and stating there presently "lack any effective deterrent" in the Channel.
French maritime police will be allowed to stop the migrant vessels at sea, but only before they've collected their passengers, according to official confirmation.
French police have infrequently acted to stop the heavily loaded boats departing from the coastline because it is considered excessively high a risk to both personnel 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 personnel will start intervening at sea, with the objective of safeguarding lives.
Significantly, the spokesperson excluded the use of entanglement devices to intercept boats, which had earlier been suggested as a potential technique to disable the engines of the vessels.
This determination to intervene at all is a significant advancement, following a brief shift towards a stricter approach this warmer season, which ceased when the former government official left office.
That was highlighted in the summer month, in the run-up to a summit between the Prime Minister and French president, when authorities were observed wading into the sea to slash the sides of a boat.
Now French authorities will again be permitted to stop boats prior to they collect asylum-seeking passengers from the coastal areas of France's north coast, although it's not clear how the small boats will be prevented.
Powerful gusts are presently delaying the commencement of interceptions and the human trafficking gangs will be looking for methods to adapt to avoid interception, as they have done so often in the past.
UK immigration authorities and Downing Street have been approached for comment.
Connected Developments
- Reasons Britain can't just send back migrants to France
- French government withdrawing from commitment to stop migrant boats
UK immigration
Channel crossings
Border security
