France to begin intercepting migrant vessels in Channel after UK pressure
France has agreed to begin intercepting migrant vessels in the Channel, after an extended period of pressure from the United Kingdom.
The change in policy follows the British leader wrote to the President urging him to support the initiative and stating there presently "have no effective deterrent" in the Channel.
French maritime police will be allowed to intercept the small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've picked up their passengers, according to authoritative confirmation.
French police have infrequently acted to prevent the overcrowded boats leaving the shoreline because it is considered excessively high a risk to both personnel and civilians.
"It is crucial that we deploy these methods this month... We have no effective prevention in the Channel waters."
Currently, a French naval police spokesperson says personnel will start intervening at sea, with the aim of safeguarding human life.
Notably, the official excluded the use of nets to stop boats, which had earlier been reported as a possible technique to disable the propellers of the boats.
This determination to take action at all is a major step forward, coming after a brief shift towards a stricter approach this summer, which ceased when the previous Interior Minister departed from government.
That was highlighted in July, in the run-up to a summit between the UK leader and French president, when French police were observed walking into the sea to damage the hulls of a vessel.
Currently French authorities will once more be allowed to stop boats before they collect asylum-seeking individuals from the coastal areas of France's north coast, although it's not clear how the small boats will be stopped.
Strong winds are presently postponing the commencement of intervention operations and the human trafficking gangs will be seeking ways to adjust to evade detection, as they have frequently done in the past.
The Home Office and Downing Street have been approached for comment.
Connected Developments
- Reasons Britain can't just send back asylum seekers to France
- France backing away from pledge to intercept migrant boats
UK immigration
Channel crossings
Border security
