French authorities to begin intercepting small boats in English Channel following UK pressure
France has agreed to start intercepting migrant vessels in the Channel, after months of insistence from the United Kingdom.
This policy shift follows the Prime Minister sent a letter to the French leader asking him to support the plan and stating there presently "have no effective preventive measure" in the Channel.
French maritime police will be allowed to intercept the small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their passengers, according to official confirmation.
French authorities have infrequently intervened to stop the overcrowded boats leaving the coastline because it is considered excessively high a danger to both officers and individuals.
"It is essential that we implement these tactics this period... We have no effective prevention in the Channel."
Currently, a French naval police representative says officers will begin intervening at sea, with the objective of protecting lives.
Significantly, the spokesperson ruled out the use of entanglement devices to intercept boats, which had previously been suggested as a possible technique to snarl the engines of the boats.
This determination to take action at all is a significant advancement, following a short-lived change towards a more aggressive strategy this warmer season, which dropped off when the former Interior Minister left government.
This was demonstrated in July, in the run-up to a meeting between the Prime Minister and French president, when French police were witnessed wading into the sea to slash the sides of a boat.
Currently French authorities will once more be permitted to stop boats prior to they pick up migrant passengers from the coastal areas of France's north coast, although it's uncertain how the vessels will be stopped.
Strong winds are currently delaying the commencement of interceptions and the human trafficking gangs will be seeking methods to adapt to evade interception, as they have frequently done in the previous instances.
The Home Office and Downing Street have been contacted for response.
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- Why Britain cannot just return migrants to France
- France backing away from commitment to intercept migrant boats
UK immigration
Channel crossings
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