France to begin stopping migrant vessels in Channel following British demands
France has agreed to begin stopping migrant vessels in the English Channel, after months of pressure from the United Kingdom.
The change in policy follows the British leader wrote to the President urging him to support the initiative and saying there presently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage.
French security forces will be allowed to intercept the small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected 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 risk to both personnel and civilians.
"It is essential that we implement these methods this period... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel."
Now, a French maritime police representative says officers will start taking action at sea, with the aim of protecting human life.
Notably, the spokesperson ruled out the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had previously been suggested as a potential technique to snarl the propellers of the boats.
The decision to take action at all is a major step forward, coming after a short-lived shift towards a stricter approach this warmer season, which ceased when the previous government official departed from government.
That was highlighted in the summer month, in the run-up to a meeting between the UK leader and President, when French police were witnessed walking into the sea to damage the hulls of a vessel.
Now French authorities will again be permitted to stop boats prior to they collect migrant individuals from the coastal areas of France's north coast, although it's not clear how the vessels will be prevented.
Powerful gusts are currently delaying the commencement of interceptions and the people-smuggling networks will be looking for methods to adjust to evade detection, as they have done so often in the previous instances.
UK immigration authorities and the Prime Minister's office have been approached for response.
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