French authorities to begin stopping migrant vessels in Channel after UK pressure
France has agreed to start intercepting small boats in the Channel, following an extended period of insistence from the United Kingdom.
The change in policy follows the British leader wrote to the President asking him to support the initiative and saying there currently "have no effective preventive measure" in the Channel.
French maritime police will be allowed to stop the migrant vessels at sea, but only before they've picked up their migrants, according to official confirmation.
French authorities have infrequently acted to prevent the overcrowded boats leaving the coastline because it is viewed as excessively high a risk to both officers and individuals.
"It is crucial that we implement these tactics this period... We have zero effective deterrent in the Channel waters."
Now, a French naval police spokesperson says officers will begin taking action at sea, with the objective of protecting human life.
Notably, the spokesperson excluded the use of nets to intercept boats, which had previously been suggested as a potential method to disable the engines of the boats.
This determination to take action at all is a significant step forward, following a brief change towards a stricter strategy this summer, which ceased when the previous government official left government.
That was highlighted in the summer month, in the run-up to a meeting between the Prime Minister and French president, when authorities were witnessed walking into the sea to slash the hulls of a vessel.
Currently French authorities will once more be allowed to stop boats prior to they collect asylum-seeking individuals from the coastal areas of France's north coast, however it's uncertain how the small boats will be stopped.
Strong winds are presently delaying the commencement of interceptions and the human trafficking gangs will be looking for ways to adapt to avoid interception, as they have done so often in the past.
The Home Office and Downing Street have been approached for comment.
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- Why Britain can't just send back migrants to France
- France withdrawing from pledge to intercept migrant boats
UK immigration
Channel crossings
Border security
