French authorities will start stopping migrant vessels in Channel after UK pressure
French officials have consented to begin stopping small boats in the Channel, following an extended period of pressure from the United Kingdom.
The change in policy comes after the Prime Minister wrote to the French leader asking him to support the initiative and stating there currently "have no effective deterrent" in the maritime passage.
French security forces will be allowed to stop the migrant vessels at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their migrants, according to official statements.
French authorities have rarely intervened to stop the heavily loaded boats departing from the coastline because it is viewed as too great a danger to both officers and individuals.
"It is crucial that we implement these tactics this month... We have no effective prevention in the Channel waters."
Now, a French naval police representative says officers will begin taking action at sea, with the objective of safeguarding human life.
Notably, the spokesperson ruled out the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had earlier been reported as a possible method to disable the engines of the vessels.
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 ceased when the former government official left office.
That was highlighted in the summer month, preceding a meeting between the Prime Minister and French president, when authorities were observed wading into the sea to slash the sides of a boat.
Currently French authorities will again be allowed to intercept boats before they pick up asylum-seeking passengers from the beaches of northern France, although it's not clear how the small boats will be stopped.
Strong winds are presently delaying the commencement of intervention operations and the people-smuggling gangs will be looking for ways to adapt to avoid interception, as they have frequently done in the past.
UK immigration authorities and Downing Street have been approached for comment.
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