French authorities will start stopping migrant vessels in English Channel following UK pressure
France has agreed to begin intercepting small boats in the Channel, after an extended period of pressure from the United Kingdom.
The change in policy comes after the British leader sent a letter to the President urging him to back the plan and saying there currently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage.
French maritime police have been authorized to stop the small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their migrants, according to authoritative confirmation.
French police have rarely acted to stop the heavily loaded boats leaving the coastline because it is considered too great a risk to both personnel and civilians.
"It is essential that we implement these methods this month... We have no effective prevention in the Channel."
Currently, a French naval police representative says officers will begin taking action at sea, with the aim of protecting human life.
Notably, the spokesperson excluded the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had previously been suggested as a potential technique to snarl the engines of the boats.
The decision to intervene at all is a major advancement, coming after a short-lived change towards a more aggressive strategy this summer, which ceased when the previous government official left office.
This was demonstrated in July, in the run-up to a summit between the Prime Minister and President, when French police were observed wading into the sea to slash the sides of a vessel.
Currently French officials will once more be allowed to stop boats prior to they collect migrant passengers from the coastal areas of northern France, although it's uncertain how the vessels will be prevented.
Powerful gusts are currently delaying the commencement of intervention operations and the human trafficking gangs will be seeking ways to adjust to evade detection, as they have done so often in the past.
The Home Office and Downing Street have been approached for comment.
Connected Updates
- Why UK can't just send back migrants to France
- French government backing away from pledge to intercept migrant boats
UK immigration
Channel crossings
Border security
