French authorities to begin stopping migrant vessels in English Channel after UK pressure
French officials have consented to begin stopping small boats in the Channel, following an extended period of pressure from the UK.
The change in policy comes after the British leader sent a letter to the French leader urging him to support the plan and saying there presently "have no effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage.
French maritime police have been authorized to stop the migrant vessels at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their migrants, according to authoritative confirmation.
French police have rarely intervened to stop the overcrowded boats departing from the shoreline because it is viewed as excessively high a risk to both personnel and civilians.
"It is essential that we deploy these tactics this month... We have no effective prevention in the Channel."
Now, a French naval police representative says personnel will start intervening at sea, with the aim of safeguarding lives.
Notably, the official ruled out the use of nets to stop boats, which had earlier been suggested as a potential method to snarl the propellers of the boats.
This determination to intervene at all is a major step forward, coming after a short-lived change towards a stricter strategy this summer, which dropped off when the former Interior Minister departed from government.
That was highlighted in the summer month, in the run-up to a meeting between the Prime Minister and President, when French police were witnessed wading into the sea to damage the sides of a boat.
Now French authorities will again be allowed to intercept boats before they pick up asylum-seeking passengers from the coastal areas of France's north coast, however it's not clear how the small boats will be prevented.
Powerful gusts are currently postponing the start of interceptions and the human trafficking gangs will be seeking ways to adapt to evade interception, as they have frequently done in the past.
UK immigration authorities and Downing Street have been approached for comment.
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