French authorities to begin stopping migrant vessels in Channel after UK pressure
France has agreed to start stopping migrant vessels in the English Channel, following months of pressure from the United Kingdom.
The change in policy follows the British leader wrote to the French leader asking him to support the initiative and saying there presently "have no effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage.
French security forces will be allowed to intercept the small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their migrants, according to official statements.
French authorities have rarely intervened to prevent the heavily loaded boats leaving the shoreline because it is considered excessively high a danger to both personnel and civilians.
"It is crucial that we implement these tactics this period... We have no effective deterrent in the Channel waters."
Currently, a French maritime police spokesperson states personnel will begin taking action at sea, with the aim of protecting human life.
Significantly, the spokesperson excluded the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had earlier been reported as a possible technique to snarl the engines of the boats.
The decision to take action at all is a significant step forward, coming after a brief shift towards a stricter strategy this warmer season, which dropped off when the previous Interior Minister departed from office.
That was highlighted in July, in the run-up to a summit between the UK leader and President, when authorities were witnessed walking into the sea to slash the sides of a vessel.
Now French officials will again be permitted to intercept boats before they pick up migrant individuals from the coastal areas of France's north coast, however it's not clear how the small boats will be stopped.
Strong winds are currently postponing the commencement of intervention operations and the people-smuggling networks will be looking for ways to adjust to evade detection, as they have frequently done in the past.
UK immigration authorities and the Prime Minister's office have been approached for comment.
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