France to begin intercepting migrant vessels in English Channel after UK pressure
French officials have consented to start stopping migrant vessels in the English Channel, after an extended period of insistence from the UK.
The change in policy comes after the British leader wrote to the President urging him to back the plan and saying there currently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the Channel.
French security forces will be allowed to stop the migrant vessels at sea, but exclusively prior to they've picked up their migrants, according to authoritative confirmation.
French authorities have rarely acted to prevent the overcrowded boats departing from the shoreline because it is viewed as too great a risk to both officers and individuals.
"It is crucial that we implement these tactics this period... We have no effective deterrent in the Channel waters."
Now, a French naval police representative states officers will begin taking action at sea, with the aim of safeguarding human life.
Notably, the official excluded the use of entanglement devices to intercept boats, which had earlier been reported as a potential method to snarl the propellers of the vessels.
The decision to intervene at all is a major advancement, following a short-lived change towards a stricter strategy this warmer season, which ceased when the previous government official left office.
That was highlighted in the summer month, preceding a summit between the UK leader and French president, when French police were witnessed wading into the sea to damage the hulls of a vessel.
Currently French officials will once more be allowed to intercept boats before they pick up asylum-seeking individuals from the coastal areas of northern France, however it's uncertain how the small boats 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 avoid detection, as they have frequently done in the previous instances.
UK immigration authorities and Downing Street have been contacted for response.
Connected Developments
- Reasons UK cannot just return asylum seekers to French territory
- French government backing away from commitment to stop migrant boats
UK immigration
Channel crossings
Border security
