French authorities will start stopping small boats in Channel following UK pressure
French officials have consented to start intercepting migrant vessels in the English Channel, following months of insistence from the United Kingdom.
This policy shift comes after the Prime Minister sent a letter to the President urging him to support the plan and stating there presently "have no effective deterrent" in the Channel.
French security forces have been authorized to stop the small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've picked up their passengers, according to official confirmation.
French police have infrequently intervened to stop the overcrowded boats leaving the coastline because it is viewed as too great a danger to both officers and individuals.
"It is essential that we implement these methods this period... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel waters."
Now, a French naval police representative says personnel will begin taking action at sea, with the aim of protecting lives.
Significantly, the official excluded the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had previously been suggested as a possible method to snarl the engines of the vessels.
This determination to intervene at all is a significant step forward, following a brief change towards a more aggressive approach this warmer season, which dropped off when the former government official departed from office.
This was demonstrated in the summer month, preceding a meeting between the Prime Minister and President, when authorities were witnessed walking into the sea to slash the hulls of a boat.
Now French officials will again be allowed to stop boats before they collect asylum-seeking individuals from the beaches of France's north coast, although it's uncertain how the small boats will be prevented.
Strong winds are presently postponing the commencement of intervention operations and the people-smuggling gangs will be looking for ways to adapt to evade interception, as they have frequently done in the previous instances.
UK immigration authorities and the Prime Minister's office have been contacted for comment.
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