French authorities will start stopping small boats in English Channel following UK pressure
French officials have consented to start intercepting small boats in the English Channel, following months of pressure from the United Kingdom.
The change in policy comes after the Prime Minister wrote to the President urging him to back the plan and stating there currently "have no effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage.
French security forces have been authorized to intercept the migrant vessels at sea, but exclusively prior to they've picked up their migrants, according to authoritative confirmation.
French authorities have rarely intervened to prevent the overcrowded boats leaving the shoreline because it is viewed as too great a danger to both personnel and individuals.
"It is essential that we implement these tactics this period... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel."
Now, a French naval police spokesperson states personnel will start taking action at sea, with the objective of protecting human life.
Notably, the spokesperson excluded the use of entanglement devices to intercept 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 significant step forward, coming after a short-lived shift towards a stricter strategy this summer, which ceased when the former Interior Minister departed from office.
This was demonstrated in the summer month, preceding a meeting between the UK leader and French president, when authorities were observed walking into the sea to slash the sides of a vessel.
Currently French officials will once more be permitted to intercept boats prior to they pick up asylum-seeking individuals from the beaches of France's north coast, however it's uncertain how the vessels will be prevented.
Strong winds are currently delaying the commencement of interceptions and the people-smuggling gangs will be seeking ways to adapt to avoid interception, as they have frequently done in the previous instances.
UK immigration authorities and the Prime Minister's office have been approached for response.
Related Developments
- Reasons Britain can't just return migrants to French territory
- French government withdrawing from pledge to stop migrant boats
UK immigration
Channel crossings
Border security
