France to begin stopping migrant vessels in English Channel following UK pressure
French officials have consented to start stopping migrant vessels in the Channel, after an extended period of pressure from the United Kingdom.
This policy shift follows the Prime Minister sent a letter to the French leader urging him to support the plan and saying there currently "have no effective deterrent" in the maritime passage.
French security forces will be allowed to stop the migrant vessels at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their passengers, according to official confirmation.
French authorities have rarely intervened to stop the heavily loaded boats departing from the shoreline because it is considered excessively high a danger to both officers and civilians.
"It is essential that we deploy these methods this period... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel waters."
Now, a French naval police spokesperson says officers will start intervening at sea, with the objective of protecting lives.
Notably, the official ruled out the use of nets to stop boats, which had earlier been suggested as a potential technique to snarl the engines of the vessels.
The decision to intervene at all is a significant step forward, coming after a brief change towards a stricter approach this warmer season, which dropped off when the former Interior Minister left government.
This was demonstrated in the summer month, preceding a summit between the UK leader and French president, when authorities were witnessed walking into the sea to damage the hulls of a vessel.
Now French officials will again be permitted to stop boats before they pick up asylum-seeking passengers from the beaches of northern France, however it's uncertain how the small boats will be stopped.
Strong winds are presently postponing the start of intervention operations and the human trafficking networks will be looking for ways to adapt to evade detection, as they have frequently done in the past.
The Home Office and the Prime Minister's office have been contacted for response.
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UK immigration
Channel crossings
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