French authorities will start stopping migrant vessels in Channel after British demands
French officials have consented to start stopping small boats in the English Channel, following months of insistence from the UK.
The change in policy follows the Prime Minister wrote to the President asking him to support the initiative and saying there presently "have no effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage.
French maritime police have been authorized to intercept the small boats at sea, but only before they've picked up their migrants, according to official confirmation.
French authorities have rarely intervened to prevent the heavily loaded boats departing from the coastline because it is viewed as excessively high a danger to both officers and individuals.
"It is essential that we implement these methods this month... We have no effective deterrent in the Channel waters."
Currently, a French maritime police spokesperson states officers will start intervening at sea, with the objective of safeguarding lives.
Significantly, the official ruled out the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had previously been reported as a potential technique to disable the engines of the vessels.
The decision to take action at all is a major advancement, coming after a brief shift towards a more aggressive approach this warmer season, which dropped off when the former Interior Minister left government.
This was demonstrated in July, preceding a summit between the UK leader and French president, when French police were observed wading into the sea to slash the sides of a vessel.
Now French officials will again be permitted to stop boats before they collect migrant passengers from the coastal areas of France's north coast, although it's not clear how the vessels will be stopped.
Strong winds are presently delaying the commencement of intervention operations and the people-smuggling networks will be looking for ways to adjust to evade detection, as they have done so often in the previous instances.
The Home Office and Downing Street have been contacted for comment.
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