France will start stopping migrant vessels in English Channel following British demands
French officials have consented to begin stopping migrant vessels in the Channel, after an extended period of pressure from the United Kingdom.
The change in policy comes after the Prime Minister wrote to the President urging him to back the plan and saying there presently "lack any effective deterrent" in the Channel.
French security forces have been authorized to stop the migrant vessels at sea, but only before they've collected their passengers, according to authoritative confirmation.
French authorities have rarely intervened to stop the overcrowded boats leaving the coastline because it is considered too great a danger to both officers and individuals.
"It is essential that we deploy these methods this month... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel waters."
Now, a French maritime police representative says officers will begin intervening at sea, with the aim of safeguarding human life.
Notably, the spokesperson ruled out the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had previously been suggested as a potential method to snarl the propellers of the boats.
The decision to take action at all is a significant advancement, following a short-lived change towards a stricter approach this summer, which dropped off when the previous Interior Minister departed from government.
That was highlighted in July, preceding a meeting between the UK leader and French president, when authorities were witnessed wading into the sea to damage the hulls of a vessel.
Currently French authorities will once more be permitted to stop boats prior to they pick up asylum-seeking individuals from the coastal areas of France's north coast, although it's not clear how the small boats will be prevented.
Strong winds are currently delaying the start of interceptions and the people-smuggling gangs will be seeking methods to adapt to evade interception, as they have done so often in the past.
UK immigration authorities and Downing Street have been contacted for comment.
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