French authorities will start stopping migrant vessels in English Channel following British demands
French officials have consented to start intercepting small boats in the Channel, following an extended period of insistence from the United Kingdom.
This policy shift comes after the British leader wrote to the President urging him to support the initiative and stating there presently "have no effective preventive measure" in the Channel.
French maritime police will be allowed to stop the small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've picked up their migrants, according to official statements.
French police have infrequently acted to stop the heavily loaded boats departing from the shoreline because it is viewed as too great a risk to both personnel and civilians.
"It is essential that we deploy these methods this month... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel."
Now, a French naval police representative says personnel will start taking action at sea, with the objective of protecting human life.
Notably, the spokesperson excluded the use of nets to intercept boats, which had earlier been reported as a possible technique to disable the engines of the boats.
This determination to intervene at all is a major step forward, coming after a short-lived shift towards a more aggressive approach this warmer season, which dropped off when the previous Interior Minister left government.
This was demonstrated in July, in the run-up to a meeting between the UK leader and President, when authorities were observed wading into the sea to slash the sides of a vessel.
Now French authorities will again be permitted to stop boats before they collect migrant passengers from the coastal areas of northern France, however it's uncertain how the small boats will be stopped.
Powerful gusts are presently postponing the start of intervention operations and the people-smuggling gangs will be looking for ways to adjust to avoid detection, as they have frequently done in the previous instances.
UK immigration authorities and Downing Street have been approached for response.
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