French cops start accompanying cross-Channel ferries in bid to prevent ISIS terror attacks
The scheme started on Monday with police arriving by helicopter and boarding ferries as they approach France
ARMED French police have begun accompanying ferries crossing the Channel in an attempt to prevent terror attacks.
The scheme began on Monday, but only sees the officers flying in to patrol vessels at the halfway point as the ships reach French waters.
The armed officers arrive by helicopter and board ferries as they approach France.
No agreement is in place yet for French police to patrol ferries in UK waters but the two governments are in talks about extending the patrols.
France's marine police have said patrols for the full crossings are a possibility and the Home Office has said security plans are under "constant review".
French authorities told the BBC no timeline had been set for an agreement to be reached.
Marine police spokesman Lieutenant Pierre-Joachim Antona said a "permanent unit"; had been deployed since Monday.
The marine gendarmes will carry out high visibility patrols which will be "random but regular" he said.
For the first patrol on Monday, three French sea marshals arrived on the Brittany Ferries vessel Mont St Michel.
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A Brittany Ferries spokesman the vessel left Portsmouth for Caen in France at 14:45 BST and, in a "pre-scheduled security exercise", the marshals were flown on to the boat at 17:30.
"They then proceeded to patrol the bridge and passenger areas of the vessel," he said.
He added: "Passengers were informed via announcements in English and French before the exercise took place.
"Access to outside decks was not allowed at the time of the helicopter's arrival."
Brittany Ferries' 10 vessels are all "French-flagged", meaning French police could operate on them outside territorial waters.
It is not clear whether the French police's plan includes non-French vessels, such as UK-flagged ferries arriving in France.
The UK Home Office have not yet commented on the talks with French officials.
This increase in security comes in the wake of several attacks in European countries in recent months, with several large attacks in French cities and towns.
Armed police had already been stationed at Calais amid fears ISIS jihadists could board UK-bound ferries and execute passengers, but now security steps are being taken further with police actually boarding the vessels.
British special forces from the Special Boat Service are being trained to board a hijacked ship using high-speed assault boats and helicopters in the event of such an attack.
Security staff on both sides of the Channel are heavily vetted.
EU and British intelligence agencies are desperate to predict where terrorists may strike next after a spate of ‘lone wolf’ attacks across Europe in recent weeks.
Earlier this week an ISIS attacker slit the throat of 86-year-old French priest Father Jacques Hamel in a Normandy church.
The atrocity came after 84 died in the July 14 Bastille Day attack in which a lorry was driven through celebrating crowds.
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