French authorities to begin stopping small boats in English Channel after British demands
French officials have consented to start stopping small boats in the Channel, after an extended period of insistence from the UK.
The change in policy follows the British leader sent a letter to the French leader asking him to back the plan and saying there presently "have no effective deterrent" in the maritime passage.
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 rarely intervened to stop the overcrowded boats leaving the shoreline because it is considered too great a risk to both personnel and individuals.
"It is crucial that we deploy these tactics this period... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel waters."
Currently, a French naval police representative states officers will start taking action at sea, with the objective of safeguarding lives.
Notably, the spokesperson ruled out the use of entanglement devices to intercept boats, which had earlier been reported as a potential technique to snarl the engines of the boats.
This determination to intervene at all is a major step forward, coming after a brief change towards a stricter strategy this summer, which dropped off when the former government official departed from office.
That was highlighted in July, in the run-up to a summit between the Prime Minister and French president, when authorities were observed wading into the sea to damage the sides of a vessel.
Now French authorities will once more be permitted to stop boats before they collect asylum-seeking individuals from the coastal areas of France's north coast, although it's not clear how the vessels will be prevented.
Powerful gusts are presently delaying the start of intervention operations and the people-smuggling gangs will be seeking ways to adapt to avoid detection, as they have frequently done in the previous instances.
UK immigration authorities and Downing Street have been approached for response.
Related Updates
- Why UK can't just send back migrants to France
- France withdrawing from commitment to stop migrant boats
UK immigration
Channel crossings
Border security