France to begin intercepting migrant vessels in English Channel after British demands
French officials have consented to start stopping small boats in the Channel, after an extended period of insistence from the United Kingdom.
The change in policy follows the Prime Minister sent a letter to the French leader asking him to support the initiative and stating there currently "have no effective deterrent" in the maritime passage.
French maritime police have been authorized to stop the small boats at sea, but only before they've picked up their migrants, according to authoritative confirmation.
French authorities have rarely intervened to prevent the heavily loaded boats leaving the coastline because it is considered excessively high a risk to both personnel and civilians.
"It is crucial that we implement these tactics this period... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel waters."
Now, a French maritime police spokesperson states officers will start taking action at sea, with the aim of safeguarding human life.
Significantly, the spokesperson excluded the use of nets to intercept boats, which had earlier been suggested as a possible method to snarl the propellers of the vessels.
The decision to intervene at all is a major advancement, following a short-lived shift towards a more aggressive strategy this warmer season, which ceased when the former government official departed from office.
That was highlighted in the summer month, in the run-up to a meeting between the UK leader and President, when authorities were observed wading into the sea to damage the hulls of a boat.
Now French officials will once more be allowed to intercept boats before they collect migrant individuals from the coastal areas of France's north coast, although it's not clear how the small boats will be stopped.
Powerful gusts are currently delaying the commencement of intervention operations and the human trafficking networks will be looking for ways to adapt to evade interception, as they have frequently done in the previous instances.
UK immigration authorities and Downing Street have been approached for response.
Related Updates
- Why UK can't just send back asylum seekers to France
- French government backing away from pledge to stop asylum boats
UK immigration
Channel crossings
Border security
