French authorities will start stopping small boats in English Channel following UK pressure
French officials have consented to start stopping small boats in the English Channel, after an extended period of pressure from the UK.
This policy shift comes after the British leader wrote to the President asking him to support the initiative and saying there currently "have no effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage.
French maritime police have been authorized to stop the migrant vessels at sea, but exclusively prior to they've picked up their migrants, according to official statements.
French authorities have infrequently acted to stop the heavily loaded boats departing from the coastline because it is considered excessively high a risk to both personnel and civilians.
"It is crucial that we deploy these methods this month... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel."
Currently, a French maritime police spokesperson says personnel will start taking action at sea, with the objective of protecting human life.
Significantly, the official ruled out the use of nets to stop boats, which had previously been suggested as a potential technique to disable the propellers of the vessels.
The decision to intervene at all is a significant advancement, following a short-lived shift towards a stricter strategy this summer, which dropped off when the former Interior Minister left government.
This was demonstrated in July, preceding a summit between the Prime Minister and French president, when French police were witnessed walking into the sea to slash the sides of a boat.
Currently French officials will once more be allowed to intercept boats prior to they pick up asylum-seeking individuals from the coastal areas of northern France, however it's uncertain how the vessels will be prevented.
Strong winds are currently delaying the start of intervention operations and the human trafficking gangs will be seeking methods to adjust to evade detection, as they have frequently done in the previous instances.
The Home Office and Downing Street have been contacted for response.
Related Updates
- Reasons Britain can't just return migrants to France
- France backing away from commitment to stop asylum boats
