French authorities will start stopping migrant vessels in Channel after UK pressure
France has agreed to start stopping small boats in the Channel, following an extended period of pressure from the United Kingdom.
The change in policy follows the Prime Minister wrote to the French leader asking him to back the initiative and saying there presently "lack any effective deterrent" in the maritime passage.
French maritime police have been authorized to stop the migrant vessels at sea, but only before they've picked up their migrants, according to authoritative confirmation.
French authorities have infrequently acted to prevent the overcrowded boats departing from the shoreline because it is viewed as excessively high a danger to both officers and individuals.
"It is essential that we deploy these tactics this period... We have zero effective deterrent in the Channel."
Currently, a French naval police spokesperson says personnel will start intervening at sea, with the objective of protecting lives.
Notably, the spokesperson excluded the use of nets to stop boats, which had earlier been suggested as a possible method to snarl the engines of the boats.
This determination to intervene at all is a significant advancement, coming after a short-lived change towards a stricter strategy this summer, which dropped off when the former government official departed from government.
This was demonstrated in July, preceding a meeting between the UK leader and French president, when authorities were witnessed walking into the sea to slash the sides of a vessel.
Currently French officials will again be permitted to intercept boats before they pick up asylum-seeking passengers from the beaches of northern France, although it's not clear how the vessels will be stopped.
Strong winds are currently delaying the commencement of intervention operations and the people-smuggling gangs will be seeking ways to adapt to evade detection, as they have frequently done in the past.
UK immigration authorities and Downing Street have been approached for comment.
Connected Developments
- Reasons UK cannot just return asylum seekers to French territory
- France backing away from pledge to intercept migrant boats
UK immigration
Channel crossings
Border security
