France will start stopping migrant vessels in Channel following British demands
France has agreed to begin intercepting small boats in the English Channel, following months of insistence from the UK.
The change in policy follows the British leader sent a letter to the French leader asking him to support the plan and saying there currently "lack any effective deterrent" in the maritime passage.
French maritime police will be allowed to stop the small boats at sea, but only before they've picked up their migrants, according to official confirmation.
French authorities have infrequently intervened to stop the overcrowded boats departing from the shoreline because it is viewed as too great a danger to both officers and civilians.
"It is essential that we deploy these methods this period... We have zero effective deterrent in the Channel waters."
Now, a French maritime police representative states officers will start intervening at sea, with the aim of safeguarding human life.
Notably, the official excluded the use of nets to intercept boats, which had earlier been reported as a potential technique to disable the propellers of the vessels.
The decision to intervene at all is a major step forward, following a short-lived shift towards a more aggressive strategy this warmer season, which ceased when the former Interior Minister left government.
That was highlighted in July, preceding a summit between the Prime Minister and President, when French police were observed wading into the sea to damage the hulls of a boat.
Now French authorities will once more be permitted to stop boats prior to they collect migrant passengers from the beaches of France's north coast, however it's not clear how the vessels will be stopped.
Powerful gusts are currently postponing the commencement of interceptions and the human trafficking networks will be looking for ways to adapt to evade interception, as they have frequently done in the past.
The Home Office and the Prime Minister's office have been approached for comment.
Related Developments
- Why Britain cannot just return asylum seekers to France
- France backing away from pledge to stop asylum boats
UK immigration
Channel crossings
Border security
