France to begin stopping small boats in English Channel following UK pressure
France has agreed to begin intercepting small boats in the English Channel, following an extended period of insistence from the UK.
This policy shift comes after the Prime Minister wrote to the President urging him to support the initiative and saying there presently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the Channel.
French maritime police will be allowed to stop the small boats at sea, but only before they've collected their migrants, according to authoritative confirmation.
French authorities have rarely acted to stop the overcrowded boats leaving the coastline because it is considered excessively high a danger to both officers and individuals.
"It is crucial that we implement these tactics this period... We have zero effective deterrent in the Channel."
Now, a French maritime police spokesperson states personnel will start intervening at sea, with the objective of protecting human life.
Significantly, the official ruled out the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had previously been reported as a potential method to disable the engines of the boats.
This determination to intervene at all is a significant step forward, coming after a brief change towards a more aggressive strategy this summer, which ceased when the previous Interior Minister left office.
This was demonstrated in July, in the run-up to a meeting between the Prime Minister and French president, when authorities were witnessed wading into the sea to slash the sides of a vessel.
Now French authorities will once more be permitted to stop boats before they pick up migrant individuals from the coastal areas of France's north coast, although it's uncertain how the vessels will be prevented.
Powerful gusts are currently postponing the start of interceptions and the human trafficking gangs will be seeking ways to adjust to evade detection, as they have done so often in the previous instances.
The Home Office and the Prime Minister's office have been approached for comment.
Related Updates
- Reasons Britain can't just send back migrants to French territory
- France backing away from pledge to intercept asylum boats
