France will start stopping small boats in Channel following British demands
France has agreed to start stopping migrant vessels in the Channel, after an extended period of insistence from the United Kingdom.
The change in policy comes after the British leader wrote to the President urging him to support the plan and stating there presently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the Channel.
French maritime police will be allowed to intercept the migrant vessels at sea, but exclusively prior to they've picked up their passengers, according to official statements.
French police have rarely intervened to prevent the heavily loaded boats leaving the shoreline because it is viewed as too great a risk to both personnel and individuals.
"It is crucial that we implement these methods this period... We have no effective deterrent in the Channel."
Currently, a French naval police representative says personnel will start taking action at sea, with the aim of protecting lives.
Notably, the official excluded the use of nets to intercept boats, which had earlier been reported as a potential method to disable the engines of the boats.
The decision to intervene at all is a major step forward, coming after a short-lived shift towards a more aggressive strategy this warmer season, which dropped off when the previous Interior Minister left office.
This was demonstrated in July, in the run-up to a summit between the UK leader and President, when authorities were witnessed walking into the sea to slash the sides of a vessel.
Currently French authorities will once more be permitted to stop boats prior to they pick up migrant passengers from the beaches of northern France, however it's uncertain how the small boats will be prevented.
Powerful gusts are currently delaying the commencement of interceptions and the people-smuggling networks will be seeking methods to adapt to avoid interception, as they have frequently done in the previous instances.
The Home Office and Downing Street have been approached for response.
Connected Updates
- Why UK cannot just return asylum seekers to France
- French government withdrawing from pledge to intercept asylum boats
UK immigration
Channel crossings
Border security
