France will start stopping migrant vessels in Channel after UK pressure
French officials have consented to start intercepting migrant vessels in the English Channel, after an extended period of pressure from the UK.
This policy shift comes after the Prime Minister sent a letter to the President asking him to support the initiative and stating there presently "have no effective deterrent" in the maritime passage.
French security forces will be allowed to intercept the small boats at sea, but only before they've collected their migrants, according to official statements.
French police have rarely acted to stop the heavily loaded boats departing from the shoreline because it is considered too great a danger to both personnel and civilians.
"It is essential that we implement these tactics this period... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel waters."
Now, a French maritime police spokesperson states personnel will start intervening at sea, with the aim of protecting human life.
Significantly, the official ruled out the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had earlier been reported as a potential technique to snarl the engines of the boats.
The decision to take action at all is a major advancement, following a brief shift towards a stricter strategy this warmer season, which dropped off when the former government official departed from government.
That was highlighted in the summer month, preceding a summit between the UK leader and President, when authorities were observed wading into the sea to damage the sides of a vessel.
Currently French officials will once more be permitted to stop boats before they collect asylum-seeking individuals from the coastal areas of France's north coast, although it's not clear how the vessels will be stopped.
Strong winds are presently delaying the commencement of intervention operations and the human trafficking gangs will be looking for ways to adapt to evade detection, as they have frequently done in the previous instances.
The Home Office and Downing Street have been contacted for comment.
Connected Developments
- Reasons UK cannot just return migrants to France
- French government withdrawing from pledge to intercept asylum boats
UK immigration
Channel crossings
Border security
