French authorities will start stopping migrant vessels in Channel after British demands
France has agreed to begin stopping small boats in the English Channel, following months of insistence from the UK.
The change in policy comes after the Prime Minister sent a letter to the President asking him to support the initiative and saying there currently "lack any effective deterrent" in the maritime passage.
French maritime police have been authorized to stop the migrant vessels at sea, but exclusively prior to they've picked up their passengers, according to authoritative confirmation.
French authorities have infrequently acted to stop the heavily loaded boats departing from the coastline because it is viewed as excessively high a danger to both personnel and civilians.
"It is essential that we deploy these methods this period... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel waters."
Now, a French maritime police representative states officers will start intervening at sea, with the objective of protecting lives.
Notably, the official excluded the use of nets to intercept boats, which had earlier been suggested as a possible technique to snarl the engines of the vessels.
The decision to intervene at all is a significant step forward, following a brief shift towards a more aggressive strategy this warmer season, which dropped off when the former Interior Minister left office.
That was highlighted in July, in the run-up to a summit between the Prime Minister and President, when French police were witnessed walking into the sea to damage the hulls of a vessel.
Now French officials will once more be allowed to intercept boats prior to they collect asylum-seeking individuals from the coastal areas of northern France, however it's not clear how the small boats will be stopped.
Strong winds are currently postponing the commencement of interceptions and the human trafficking gangs will be looking for ways to adapt to evade detection, as they have done so often in the past.
UK immigration authorities and Downing Street have been approached for comment.
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