French authorities to begin stopping small boats in English Channel following British demands
France has agreed to begin intercepting small boats in the English Channel, following an extended period of pressure from the United Kingdom.
The change in policy comes after the British leader sent a letter to the President urging him to back the initiative and saying there currently "have no effective preventive measure" in the Channel.
French maritime police have been authorized to stop the small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their migrants, according to authoritative statements.
French police have rarely acted to prevent the overcrowded boats leaving the coastline because it is considered too great a danger to both personnel and individuals.
"It is crucial that we deploy these methods this period... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel."
Currently, a French naval police spokesperson says officers will begin taking action at sea, with the aim of protecting human life.
Significantly, the spokesperson ruled out the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had earlier been suggested as a possible technique to disable the propellers of the vessels.
This determination to take action at all is a major step forward, coming after a short-lived shift towards a more aggressive approach this warmer season, which ceased when the former Interior Minister departed from office.
This was demonstrated in the summer month, in the run-up to a meeting between the Prime Minister and French president, when French police were observed wading into the sea to slash the hulls of a boat.
Currently French officials will once more be permitted to stop boats before they collect migrant passengers from the beaches of northern France, however it's uncertain how the small boats will be stopped.
Strong winds are currently delaying the commencement of intervention operations and the human trafficking networks will be seeking methods to adapt to evade detection, as they have done so often in the previous instances.
UK immigration authorities and the Prime Minister's office have been contacted for response.
Related Developments
- Why Britain can't just return migrants to France
- France backing away from pledge to intercept asylum boats
UK immigration
Channel crossings
Border security
