French authorities will start stopping migrant vessels in English Channel following UK pressure
France has agreed to begin stopping small boats in the English Channel, following months of insistence from the United Kingdom.
The change in policy follows the British leader wrote to the President asking him to support the plan and saying there currently "have no effective deterrent" in the maritime passage.
French security forces have been authorized to stop the small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their migrants, according to authoritative statements.
French authorities have infrequently acted to prevent the heavily loaded boats departing from the coastline because it is viewed as excessively high a risk to both personnel and individuals.
"It is essential that we implement these methods this month... We have no effective prevention in the Channel."
Now, a French naval police representative says officers will begin intervening at sea, with the aim of safeguarding lives.
Significantly, the spokesperson excluded the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had earlier been suggested as a possible method to disable the engines of the boats.
The decision to intervene at all is a major advancement, coming after a short-lived shift towards a stricter approach this summer, which dropped off when the former government official departed from office.
This was demonstrated in the summer month, preceding a summit between the Prime Minister and President, when authorities were witnessed wading into the sea to slash the hulls of a boat.
Currently French officials will once more be allowed to stop boats before they pick up migrant passengers from the coastal areas of France's north coast, although it's not clear how the vessels will be stopped.
Strong winds are presently delaying the commencement of interceptions and the people-smuggling networks will be seeking methods to adapt to evade interception, as they have frequently done in the past.
UK immigration authorities and Downing Street have been approached for comment.
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