French authorities will start stopping migrant vessels in English Channel after UK pressure
France has agreed to begin intercepting small boats in the English Channel, after months of pressure from the United Kingdom.
The change in policy follows the Prime Minister sent a letter to the French leader urging him to support the initiative and stating there presently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage.
French security forces will be allowed to stop the small boats at sea, but only before they've picked up their passengers, according to official confirmation.
French police have infrequently intervened to stop the overcrowded boats leaving the shoreline because it is viewed as too great a danger to both officers and civilians.
"It is crucial that we deploy these tactics this period... We have zero effective deterrent in the Channel waters."
Now, a French naval police spokesperson states personnel will start taking action at sea, with the aim of protecting lives.
Notably, the spokesperson ruled out the use of nets to stop boats, which had previously been reported as a potential method to disable the engines of the boats.
The decision to intervene at all is a major step forward, following a short-lived shift towards a more aggressive approach this summer, which dropped off when the previous Interior Minister departed from office.
That was highlighted in July, in the run-up to a meeting between the UK leader and French president, when French police were witnessed walking into the sea to slash the hulls of a boat.
Now French officials will once more be allowed to intercept boats prior to they pick up asylum-seeking individuals from the coastal areas of northern France, however it's uncertain how the vessels will be stopped.
Powerful gusts are presently postponing the commencement of interceptions and the human trafficking networks will be looking for ways to adjust to avoid interception, as they have frequently done in the previous instances.
UK immigration authorities and Downing Street have been contacted for comment.
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