French authorities will start stopping small boats in Channel after British demands
French officials have consented to start stopping migrant vessels in the English Channel, following months of pressure from the UK.
The change in policy comes after the British leader wrote to the President urging him to support the initiative and saying there currently "lack any effective deterrent" in the Channel.
French maritime police have been authorized to intercept the small boats at sea, but only before they've picked up their passengers, according to official statements.
French police have infrequently acted to stop the overcrowded boats departing from the coastline because it is considered too great a danger to both personnel and individuals.
"It is essential that we implement these tactics this month... We have zero effective deterrent in the Channel waters."
Now, a French naval police spokesperson says personnel will begin intervening at sea, with the objective of safeguarding human life.
Significantly, the official ruled out the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had earlier been suggested as a possible technique to disable the engines of the boats.
The decision to intervene at all is a major advancement, coming after a short-lived change towards a stricter approach this summer, which dropped off when the former government official left office.
This was demonstrated in July, in the run-up to a meeting between the UK leader and French president, when authorities were observed walking into the sea to damage the hulls of a boat.
Now French officials will once more be allowed to stop boats prior to they collect asylum-seeking passengers from the beaches of northern France, however it's not clear how the small boats will be prevented.
Powerful gusts are presently delaying the commencement of intervention operations and the people-smuggling networks will be looking for methods to adapt to avoid interception, as they have done so often in the previous instances.
UK immigration authorities and Downing Street have been approached for response.
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