France to begin stopping small boats in Channel after UK pressure
French officials have consented to begin stopping small boats in the Channel, after months of pressure from the United Kingdom.
This policy shift follows the British leader sent a letter to the French leader asking him to support the plan and stating there presently "have no effective deterrent" in the Channel.
French maritime police have been authorized to intercept the migrant vessels at sea, but only before they've picked up their migrants, according to authoritative statements.
French authorities have rarely intervened to prevent the overcrowded boats leaving the shoreline because it is viewed as too great a danger to both personnel and individuals.
"It is crucial that we deploy these tactics this period... We have no effective deterrent in the Channel waters."
Now, a French maritime police representative says officers will begin intervening at sea, with the aim of protecting human life.
Notably, the spokesperson excluded the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had previously been reported as a potential technique to snarl the propellers of the vessels.
This determination to take action at all is a significant advancement, coming after a short-lived shift towards a more aggressive strategy this summer, which dropped off when the previous government official departed from office.
That was highlighted in the summer month, preceding a summit between the UK leader and French president, when authorities were witnessed wading into the sea to damage the sides of a boat.
Currently French officials will once more be allowed to intercept boats prior to they pick up asylum-seeking passengers from the beaches of northern France, however it's not clear how the vessels will be stopped.
Powerful gusts are presently delaying the start of intervention operations and the people-smuggling gangs will be looking for methods to adjust to avoid interception, as they have done so often in the previous instances.
The Home Office and Downing Street have been approached for response.
Connected Updates
- Reasons Britain can't just return asylum seekers to France
- French government withdrawing from commitment to stop asylum boats
UK immigration
Channel crossings
Border security
