France will start stopping small boats in English Channel following UK pressure
French officials have consented to start stopping migrant vessels in the English Channel, after an extended period of pressure from the UK.
The change in policy comes after the Prime Minister sent a letter to the President urging him to back the initiative and saying there presently "lack any effective deterrent" in the maritime passage.
French maritime police have been authorized to intercept the migrant vessels at sea, but exclusively prior to they've picked up their migrants, according to official statements.
French police have rarely acted to stop the overcrowded boats departing from the coastline because it is viewed as excessively high a danger to both officers and individuals.
"It is crucial that we deploy these methods this period... We have zero effective deterrent in the Channel waters."
Currently, a French naval police spokesperson states officers will begin taking action at sea, with the aim of protecting human life.
Notably, the official excluded the use of nets to intercept boats, which had earlier been reported as a potential method to disable the propellers of the vessels.
This determination to intervene at all is a major advancement, following a brief change towards a stricter approach this summer, which dropped off when the previous Interior Minister left office.
That was highlighted in July, in the run-up to a summit between the UK leader and French president, when authorities were witnessed wading into the sea to slash the sides of a vessel.
Currently French officials will once more be permitted to intercept boats before they collect migrant passengers from the beaches of northern France, however it's not clear how the vessels will be prevented.
Strong winds are presently postponing the commencement of intervention operations and the human trafficking networks will be seeking methods to adapt to avoid interception, as they have done so often in the past.
UK immigration authorities and the Prime Minister's office have been approached for comment.
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