French authorities will start stopping migrant vessels in English Channel after British demands
French officials have consented to begin intercepting migrant vessels in the Channel, after an extended period of pressure from the United Kingdom.
This policy shift comes after the British leader sent a letter to the President urging him to back the plan and stating there presently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage.
French security forces have been authorized to stop the small boats at sea, but only before they've picked up their passengers, according to authoritative statements.
French authorities have rarely intervened to stop the overcrowded boats departing from the shoreline because it is viewed as excessively high a danger to both officers and individuals.
"It is crucial that we deploy these tactics this month... We have no effective deterrent in the Channel."
Currently, a French naval police representative states officers will begin intervening at sea, with the objective of protecting human life.
Significantly, the spokesperson ruled out the use of nets to stop boats, which had previously been suggested as a potential technique to disable the propellers of the boats.
This determination to take action at all is a significant advancement, coming after a short-lived change towards a stricter strategy this summer, which dropped off when the former Interior Minister left office.
This was demonstrated in July, in the run-up to a summit between the Prime Minister and French president, when French police were witnessed walking into the sea to damage the hulls of a boat.
Now French officials will once more be allowed to stop boats prior to they collect migrant passengers from the beaches of northern France, however it's not clear how the small boats will be prevented.
Strong winds are presently delaying the start of interceptions and the human trafficking networks will be looking for methods to adjust to avoid detection, as they have frequently done in the previous instances.
The Home Office and the Prime Minister's office have been contacted for comment.
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- Why Britain cannot just send back migrants to France
- France backing away from commitment to intercept migrant boats
UK immigration
Channel crossings
Border security
