France will start stopping small boats in Channel following UK pressure
France has agreed to start intercepting migrant vessels in the English Channel, after an extended period of pressure from the UK.
The change in policy follows the Prime Minister sent a letter to the President urging him to support the initiative and saying there presently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the Channel.
French security forces will be allowed to stop the migrant vessels at sea, but only before they've collected their passengers, according to authoritative confirmation.
French police have rarely intervened to stop the overcrowded boats leaving the shoreline because it is viewed as excessively high a danger to both officers and civilians.
"It is crucial that we deploy these tactics this month... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel waters."
Currently, a French maritime police representative says officers will start taking action at sea, with the objective of safeguarding human life.
Significantly, the official excluded the use of nets to intercept boats, which had previously been reported as a possible method to snarl the propellers of the boats.
The decision to take action at all is a major advancement, coming after a short-lived shift towards a stricter approach this warmer season, which ceased when the previous Interior Minister departed from government.
That was highlighted in the summer month, preceding a meeting between the Prime Minister and President, when authorities were observed wading into the sea to slash the hulls of a vessel.
Currently French officials will again be allowed to intercept boats prior to they pick up migrant passengers from the coastal areas of northern France, however it's not clear how the small boats will be stopped.
Strong winds are currently delaying the start of interceptions and the human trafficking gangs will be looking for ways to adapt to evade detection, as they have done so often in the past.
UK immigration authorities and the Prime Minister's office have been approached for response.
Connected Updates
- Why Britain can't just send back migrants to French territory
- French government withdrawing from pledge to intercept migrant boats
UK immigration
Channel crossings
Border security
