French authorities to begin stopping migrant vessels in English Channel following British demands
France has agreed to begin intercepting small boats in the English Channel, after months of pressure from the United Kingdom.
The change in policy comes after the British leader wrote to the French leader asking him to support the initiative and saying there presently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the Channel.
French security forces will be allowed to intercept the migrant vessels at sea, but exclusively prior to they've picked up their passengers, according to authoritative statements.
French police have infrequently intervened to stop the heavily loaded boats leaving the shoreline because it is viewed as too great a risk to both personnel and civilians.
"It is essential that we deploy these methods this month... We have no effective deterrent in the Channel."
Now, a French maritime police spokesperson says personnel will begin intervening at sea, with the aim of protecting lives.
Significantly, the spokesperson excluded the use of entanglement devices to intercept boats, which had previously been suggested as a possible technique to disable the propellers of the boats.
This determination to intervene at all is a significant advancement, coming after a brief change towards a stricter strategy this warmer season, which ceased when the previous government official departed from government.
This was demonstrated in July, preceding a summit between the Prime Minister and President, when authorities were witnessed wading into the sea to slash the hulls of a boat.
Now French authorities will again be allowed to stop boats before they pick up migrant individuals from the coastal areas of northern France, however it's not clear how the small boats will be stopped.
Powerful gusts are presently delaying the commencement of intervention operations and the human trafficking gangs 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 response.
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