French authorities to begin intercepting migrant vessels in Channel following UK pressure
France has agreed to start stopping small boats in the Channel, following months of pressure from the United Kingdom.
This policy shift comes after the British leader wrote to the President asking him to support the plan and stating there currently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the Channel.
French security forces will be allowed to intercept the migrant vessels at sea, but only before they've picked up their passengers, according to authoritative statements.
French authorities have rarely intervened to prevent the overcrowded boats leaving the coastline because it is viewed as too great a risk to both personnel and civilians.
"It is essential that we deploy these methods this month... We have zero effective deterrent in the Channel waters."
Currently, a French maritime police representative says personnel will start intervening at sea, with the objective of protecting human life.
Notably, the spokesperson ruled out the use of entanglement devices to intercept boats, which had earlier been reported as a potential technique to disable the propellers of the vessels.
This determination to intervene at all is a significant step forward, coming after a brief shift towards a more aggressive strategy this summer, which ceased when the former Interior Minister departed from office.
That was highlighted in July, preceding a meeting between the UK leader and President, when French police were witnessed walking into the sea to damage the sides of a boat.
Now French officials will once more be allowed to stop boats prior to they pick up asylum-seeking passengers from the beaches of northern France, however it's not clear how the vessels will be stopped.
Powerful gusts are currently postponing the start of interceptions and the people-smuggling networks will be seeking ways to adjust to evade detection, as they have frequently done in the past.
UK immigration authorities and the Prime Minister's office have been approached for comment.
Connected Developments
- Reasons UK cannot just return migrants to French territory
- French government withdrawing from pledge to intercept migrant boats
UK immigration
Channel crossings
Border security