French authorities will start stopping migrant vessels in English Channel following UK pressure
France has agreed to begin intercepting small boats in the English Channel, after an extended period of pressure from the United Kingdom.
This policy shift comes after the Prime Minister wrote to the French leader asking him to support the plan and stating there currently "have no effective deterrent" in the Channel.
French maritime police will be allowed to stop the small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their migrants, according to authoritative confirmation.
French police have infrequently acted to prevent the overcrowded boats departing from the coastline because it is considered too great a danger to both personnel and individuals.
"It is crucial that we implement these methods this month... We have no effective prevention in the Channel waters."
Now, a French naval police spokesperson states officers will start intervening at sea, with the objective of protecting lives.
Notably, the spokesperson excluded the use of nets to stop boats, which had earlier been suggested as a possible technique to disable the engines of the boats.
The decision to take action at all is a major advancement, following a brief shift towards a more aggressive strategy this summer, which ceased when the former government official left office.
That was highlighted in July, preceding a meeting between the UK leader and President, when French police were witnessed wading into the sea to damage the sides of a boat.
Currently French authorities will once more be permitted to stop boats prior to they collect asylum-seeking passengers from the coastal areas of France's north coast, however it's uncertain how the small boats will be prevented.
Strong winds are presently postponing the start of intervention operations and the people-smuggling networks will be seeking methods to adapt to evade interception, as they have frequently done in the previous instances.
The Home Office and the Prime Minister's office have been approached for comment.
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