Migrants react to French police as they board a smuggler's boat in an attempt to cross the Channel from the beach at Gravelines, near Dunkirk in northern France, April 26, 2024. SAMEER AL-DOUMY / AFP
Nets to intercept migrants? With more than 39,000 people having reached England since January aboard fragile inflatable dinghies, French authorities are planning to test the interception of these small boats in the Channel using nets. This new method aims to curb the maritime crossings that have risen since late 2018, and which have fueled tensions between London and Paris.
During a July bilateral summit, France agreed to change its approach to maritime interventions. Until then, the idea of intercepting dinghies was considered too dangerous due to the overriding imperative to safeguard human life. Nevertheless, according to our information, law enforcement vessels have been equipped with stop nets since the spring. These nets can be used "in the context of drug trafficking" or for "combating irregular immigration," according to a source familiar with the matter.
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Behind the 'one in, one out' deal with London, migrant lives remain in limbo
