France to begin stopping migrant vessels in English Channel following UK pressure
French officials have consented to begin intercepting small boats in the Channel, after months of insistence from the United Kingdom.
This policy shift follows the British leader sent a letter to the French leader asking him to support the initiative and saying there currently "have no effective deterrent" in the Channel.
French security forces have been authorized to stop the small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've picked up their passengers, according to official statements.
French police have infrequently intervened to prevent the heavily loaded boats departing from the coastline because it is considered too great a risk to both officers and civilians.
"It is crucial that we deploy these tactics this month... We have zero effective deterrent in the Channel waters."
Now, a French maritime police spokesperson says officers will start intervening at sea, with the aim of safeguarding human life.
Significantly, the official ruled out the use of nets to stop boats, which had previously been suggested as a potential method to disable the engines of the vessels.
This determination to take action at all is a major advancement, following a short-lived shift towards a stricter approach this summer, which ceased when the previous government official left government.
This was demonstrated in the summer month, preceding a meeting between the UK leader and President, when French police were witnessed wading into the sea to slash the sides of a boat.
Currently French authorities will again be permitted to intercept boats before they pick up migrant individuals from the beaches of northern France, however it's not clear how the vessels will be prevented.
Powerful gusts are currently delaying the commencement of intervention operations and the people-smuggling networks will be looking for methods to adapt to avoid interception, as they have frequently done in the previous instances.
UK immigration authorities and the Prime Minister's office have been approached for comment.
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