France will start stopping migrant vessels in Channel following British demands
France has agreed to begin stopping migrant vessels in the English Channel, after an extended period of insistence from the United Kingdom.
The change in policy comes after the Prime Minister sent a letter to the French leader asking him to back the initiative and saying there currently "have no effective deterrent" in the maritime passage.
French security forces have been authorized to stop the migrant vessels at sea, but only before they've picked up their passengers, according to official statements.
French police have rarely acted to stop the heavily loaded boats departing from the coastline because it is considered too great a risk to both personnel and individuals.
"It is crucial that we implement these methods this period... We have no effective prevention in the Channel."
Currently, a French maritime police representative states personnel will begin intervening at sea, with the objective of safeguarding human life.
Significantly, the spokesperson excluded the use of entanglement devices to intercept boats, which had previously been suggested as a potential technique to disable the propellers of the vessels.
This determination to take action at all is a significant step forward, following a short-lived change towards a stricter approach this summer, which ceased when the former Interior Minister departed from office.
That was highlighted in July, preceding a summit between the Prime Minister and President, when French police were observed wading into the sea to damage the sides of a vessel.
Now French authorities will once more be allowed to stop boats before they collect asylum-seeking passengers from the beaches of France's north coast, although it's uncertain how the vessels will be stopped.
Strong winds are presently delaying the start of intervention operations and the people-smuggling gangs will be looking for ways to adapt to evade interception, as they have done so often in the previous instances.
UK immigration authorities and Downing Street have been contacted for response.
Connected Developments
- Reasons Britain cannot just return asylum seekers to France
- France withdrawing from pledge to intercept asylum boats
UK immigration
Channel crossings
Border security
