France to begin intercepting small boats in Channel after British demands
French officials have consented to start intercepting small boats in the English Channel, following months of insistence from the United Kingdom.
The change in policy follows the British leader wrote to the President asking him to support the plan and saying there currently "have no effective preventive measure" in the Channel.
French security forces have been authorized to intercept the small boats at sea, but only before they've collected their passengers, according to authoritative statements.
French police have infrequently acted to prevent the heavily loaded boats departing from the shoreline because it is viewed as excessively high a risk to both personnel and individuals.
"It is crucial that we implement these tactics this month... We have no effective prevention in the Channel waters."
Currently, a French maritime police representative states personnel will start intervening at sea, with the aim of safeguarding lives.
Significantly, the official ruled out the use of nets to intercept boats, which had earlier been reported as a possible method to snarl the propellers of the boats.
This determination to intervene at all is a significant advancement, coming after a short-lived change towards a stricter strategy this summer, which dropped off when the former Interior Minister departed from office.
This was demonstrated in July, in the run-up to a meeting between the Prime Minister and French president, when authorities were observed wading into the sea to damage the sides of a boat.
Now French officials will once more be allowed to stop boats before they collect migrant passengers from the beaches of France's north coast, however it's not clear how the small boats will be prevented.
Powerful gusts are presently postponing the start of interceptions and the people-smuggling networks will be looking for methods to adapt to avoid detection, as they have frequently done in the past.
The Home Office and the Prime Minister's office have been approached for comment.
Connected Updates
- Reasons Britain cannot just return asylum seekers to France
- French government withdrawing from pledge to intercept migrant boats
UK immigration
Channel crossings
Border security
