French authorities to begin stopping migrant vessels in Channel following UK pressure
French officials have consented to start intercepting migrant vessels in the English Channel, following an extended period of insistence from the United Kingdom.
This policy shift comes after the British leader sent a letter to the President urging him to support the plan and stating there currently "lack any effective deterrent" in the Channel.
French maritime police will be allowed to stop the migrant vessels at sea, but exclusively prior to they've picked up their passengers, according to official statements.
French authorities have rarely acted to stop the overcrowded boats departing from the shoreline because it is considered excessively high a danger to both officers and civilians.
"It is essential that we implement these methods this period... We have no effective prevention in the Channel waters."
Now, a French maritime police spokesperson says officers will begin intervening at sea, with the objective of protecting lives.
Significantly, the spokesperson excluded the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had earlier been suggested as a possible method to snarl the propellers of the boats.
The decision to take action at all is a significant advancement, following a short-lived shift towards a more aggressive strategy this warmer season, which ceased when the previous government official departed from office.
This was demonstrated in July, preceding a meeting between the UK leader and French president, when authorities were observed wading into the sea to slash the hulls of a boat.
Now French authorities will once more be permitted to stop boats before they collect migrant individuals from the coastal areas of northern France, although it's not clear how the small boats will be prevented.
Strong winds are presently delaying the start of intervention operations and the human trafficking networks will be looking for ways to adapt to avoid interception, as they have frequently done in the previous instances.
UK immigration authorities and Downing Street have been approached for comment.
Connected Developments
- Reasons Britain cannot just send back migrants to French territory
- French government backing away from pledge to stop asylum boats
UK immigration
Channel crossings
Border security
