French authorities to begin intercepting migrant vessels in Channel following UK pressure
France has agreed to begin stopping migrant vessels in the Channel, following an extended period of insistence from the United Kingdom.
This policy shift follows the British leader wrote to the President asking him to support the initiative and stating there currently "have no effective preventive measure" in the Channel.
French maritime police have been authorized to intercept the small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've picked up their passengers, according to authoritative confirmation.
French authorities have rarely intervened to stop the heavily loaded boats leaving the coastline because it is viewed as excessively high a danger to both officers and civilians.
"It is essential that we implement these methods this month... We have no effective deterrent in the Channel."
Currently, a French naval police spokesperson states officers will start taking action at sea, with the aim of safeguarding lives.
Notably, the official excluded the use of entanglement devices to intercept boats, which had previously been reported as a possible technique to disable the propellers of the boats.
The decision to take action at all is a major advancement, coming after a brief change towards a more aggressive strategy this warmer season, which ceased when the former government official departed from government.
This was demonstrated in July, in the run-up to a meeting between the Prime Minister and President, when authorities were observed wading into the sea to damage the sides of a vessel.
Currently French authorities will again be allowed to intercept boats before they pick up asylum-seeking individuals from the coastal areas of northern France, however it's uncertain how the small boats will be prevented.
Powerful gusts are currently delaying the start of intervention operations and the people-smuggling gangs will be seeking ways to adjust to evade interception, as they have done so often in the previous instances.
UK immigration authorities and Downing Street have been approached for comment.
Related Developments
- Reasons Britain can't just send back migrants to French territory
- France backing away from pledge to stop asylum boats
UK immigration
Channel crossings
Border security
