France will start intercepting small boats in English Channel following UK pressure
France has agreed to begin stopping small boats in the English Channel, following months of insistence from the United Kingdom.
This policy shift follows the British leader wrote to the President urging him to back the initiative and saying there currently "have no effective deterrent" in the Channel.
French maritime police will be allowed to stop the small boats at sea, but only before they've picked up their passengers, according to official statements.
French authorities have rarely acted to prevent the overcrowded boats departing from the shoreline because it is viewed as excessively high a risk to both officers and individuals.
"It is essential that we deploy these methods this month... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel waters."
Now, a French maritime police representative says officers will start intervening at sea, with the objective of protecting human life.
Significantly, the official ruled out the use of nets to intercept boats, which had previously been reported as a potential method to snarl the engines of the vessels.
The decision to take action at all is a major advancement, coming after a brief change towards a stricter strategy this warmer season, which ceased when the former government official departed from government.
That was highlighted in the summer month, preceding a summit between the UK leader and President, when French police were witnessed walking into the sea to damage the sides of a boat.
Now French officials will again be allowed to stop boats prior to they collect asylum-seeking individuals from the beaches of France's north coast, although it's uncertain how the vessels will be stopped.
Powerful gusts are currently delaying the start of interceptions and the people-smuggling networks will be looking for ways to adjust to evade interception, as they have done so often in the past.
The Home Office and Downing Street have been contacted for comment.
Related Developments
- Why UK can't just return asylum seekers to French territory
- French government backing away from commitment to intercept migrant boats
UK immigration
Channel crossings
Border security
