French authorities to begin stopping migrant vessels in Channel following British demands
French officials have consented to begin intercepting small boats in the English Channel, after months of insistence from the United Kingdom.
The change in policy comes after the British leader sent a letter to the President urging him to support the initiative and stating there presently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage.
French maritime police will be allowed to intercept the migrant vessels at sea, but only before they've collected their migrants, according to official statements.
French police have infrequently acted to stop the heavily loaded boats leaving the shoreline because it is viewed as excessively high a danger to both officers and civilians.
"It is crucial that we implement these methods this month... We have no effective prevention in the Channel."
Currently, a French maritime police spokesperson states personnel will begin intervening at sea, with the aim of safeguarding human life.
Significantly, the spokesperson ruled out the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had previously been suggested as a possible technique to snarl the engines of the boats.
This determination to take action at all is a major step forward, following a brief change towards a stricter approach this warmer season, which dropped off when the former Interior Minister departed from government.
This was demonstrated in the summer month, in the run-up to a meeting between the UK leader and President, when French police were observed walking into the sea to slash the hulls of a boat.
Now French authorities will again be permitted to intercept boats before they collect asylum-seeking passengers from the coastal areas of northern France, although it's not clear how the vessels will be prevented.
Powerful gusts are presently delaying the commencement of interceptions and the human trafficking networks will be seeking methods to adjust 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.
Connected Updates
- Reasons Britain can't just return migrants to France
- French government withdrawing from commitment to intercept asylum boats
UK immigration
Channel crossings
Border security
