France to begin stopping small boats in English Channel after British demands
French officials have consented to start intercepting migrant vessels in the English Channel, following an extended period of insistence from the UK.
The change in policy comes after the British leader wrote to the President urging him to back the plan and stating there presently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage.
French maritime police will be allowed to stop the migrant vessels at sea, but only before they've collected their migrants, according to official statements.
French authorities have infrequently acted to stop the heavily loaded boats leaving the shoreline because it is viewed as excessively high a danger to both officers and civilians.
"It is crucial that we deploy these tactics this period... We have no effective deterrent in the Channel."
Now, a French maritime police spokesperson states personnel will begin intervening at sea, with the aim of protecting lives.
Notably, the official excluded the use of nets to intercept boats, which had previously been suggested as a possible technique to snarl the propellers of the boats.
The decision to intervene at all is a major step forward, coming after a brief change towards a stricter strategy this warmer season, which dropped off when the former Interior Minister departed from office.
That was highlighted in July, in the run-up to a meeting between the Prime Minister and President, when authorities were witnessed wading into the sea to damage the hulls of a vessel.
Now French officials will once more be allowed to intercept boats before they pick up migrant passengers from the beaches of France's north coast, however it's uncertain how the vessels will be stopped.
Powerful gusts are currently postponing the start of intervention operations and the people-smuggling networks will be looking for methods to adapt to evade interception, as they have done so often in the past.
UK immigration authorities and the Prime Minister's office have been contacted for comment.
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