France will start stopping small boats in English Channel following UK pressure
France has agreed to start stopping migrant vessels in the English Channel, following months of insistence from the United Kingdom.
The change in policy comes after the British leader sent a letter to the French leader urging him to back the plan and saying there currently "lack any effective deterrent" in the maritime passage.
French maritime police will be allowed to stop the small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their migrants, according to authoritative statements.
French authorities have infrequently intervened to stop the heavily loaded boats departing from the coastline because it is viewed as excessively high a danger to both officers and civilians.
"It is essential that we deploy these tactics this month... We have no effective deterrent in the Channel waters."
Now, a French maritime police representative states personnel will begin intervening at sea, with the aim of safeguarding lives.
Significantly, the official excluded the use of entanglement devices to intercept boats, which had earlier been reported as a possible method to snarl the propellers of the vessels.
This determination to take action at all is a major step forward, coming after a brief shift towards a stricter approach this warmer season, which ceased when the former government official left government.
This was demonstrated in July, preceding a meeting between the UK leader and President, when authorities were witnessed wading into the sea to damage the hulls of a vessel.
Now French authorities will again be permitted to intercept boats before they pick up migrant individuals from the beaches of France's north coast, however it's not clear how the small boats will be stopped.
Strong winds are presently delaying the commencement of interceptions and the human trafficking gangs will be seeking ways to adapt to avoid interception, as they have done so often in the previous instances.
UK immigration authorities and the Prime Minister's office have been approached for response.
Related Updates
- Why UK can't just return asylum seekers to French territory
- France withdrawing from commitment to intercept asylum boats
