France to begin intercepting migrant vessels in English Channel after UK pressure
French officials have consented to begin intercepting small boats in the Channel, after months of insistence from the United Kingdom.
The change in policy follows the Prime Minister sent a letter to the President urging him to support the plan and saying there presently "have no effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage.
French maritime police will be allowed to stop the small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their passengers, according to official confirmation.
French authorities have rarely intervened to stop the heavily loaded boats departing from the coastline because it is viewed as excessively high a danger to both personnel and civilians.
"It is essential that we deploy these methods this period... We have zero effective deterrent in the Channel waters."
Currently, a French naval police spokesperson says officers will start intervening at sea, with the objective of protecting lives.
Significantly, the official ruled out the use of nets to stop boats, which had previously been reported as a possible technique to snarl the propellers of the vessels.
This determination to intervene at all is a significant advancement, coming after a brief change towards a more aggressive approach this warmer season, which dropped off when the previous government official departed from government.
This was demonstrated in the summer month, in the run-up to a meeting between the UK leader and French president, when French police were observed wading into the sea to damage the sides of a vessel.
Currently French officials will once more be allowed to stop boats prior to they collect asylum-seeking passengers from the beaches of France's north coast, however it's uncertain how the vessels 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 detection, as they have frequently done in the past.
The Home Office and Downing Street have been contacted for response.
Connected Updates
- Reasons UK can't just return migrants to French territory
- French government backing away from commitment to intercept asylum boats
UK immigration
Channel crossings
Border security
