French authorities will start intercepting migrant vessels in Channel after British demands
France has agreed to begin intercepting small boats in the English Channel, after an extended period of insistence from the UK.
This policy shift follows the Prime Minister wrote to the President asking him to support the plan and saying there presently "have no effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage.
French maritime police have been authorized to intercept the small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their passengers, according to authoritative statements.
French authorities have rarely intervened to stop the overcrowded boats departing from the shoreline because it is considered too great a danger to both personnel and individuals.
"It is essential that we implement these tactics this month... We have no effective prevention in the Channel waters."
Now, a French naval police representative says officers will start intervening at sea, with the aim of protecting lives.
Notably, the spokesperson excluded the use of nets to stop boats, which had earlier been reported as a possible method to disable the propellers of the vessels.
The decision to intervene at all is a major advancement, following a short-lived change towards a stricter approach this warmer season, which ceased when the previous government official left office.
That was highlighted in July, in the run-up to a meeting between the UK leader and President, when authorities were witnessed walking into the sea to damage the sides of a vessel.
Now French officials will again be allowed to stop boats prior to they pick up asylum-seeking passengers from the coastal areas of France's north coast, however it's not clear how the vessels will be stopped.
Strong winds are currently postponing the start of interceptions and the human trafficking gangs will be looking for methods to adjust to evade detection, as they have frequently done in the past.
The Home Office and Downing Street have been approached for response.
Connected Developments
- Why UK cannot just return asylum seekers to France
- French government withdrawing from pledge to intercept migrant boats
UK immigration
Channel crossings
Border security
