French authorities will start stopping small boats in Channel after UK pressure
France has agreed to begin stopping small boats in the English Channel, following an extended period of pressure from the United Kingdom.
This policy shift follows the Prime Minister sent a letter to the President asking him to support the plan and saying there currently "have no effective preventive measure" in the Channel.
French security forces will be allowed to stop the migrant vessels at sea, but only before they've collected their passengers, according to official statements.
French police have infrequently acted to prevent the heavily loaded boats leaving the coastline because it is viewed as excessively high a risk to both personnel and individuals.
"It is crucial that we implement these tactics this month... We have no effective prevention in the Channel waters."
Now, a French maritime police spokesperson says officers will start intervening at sea, with the objective of safeguarding human life.
Notably, the spokesperson excluded the use of entanglement devices to intercept boats, which had previously been reported as a potential method to snarl the engines of the boats.
The decision to take action at all is a significant advancement, coming after a brief change towards a more aggressive approach this summer, which dropped off when the former Interior Minister left office.
This was demonstrated in July, in the run-up to a meeting between the Prime Minister and President, when authorities were witnessed walking into the sea to damage the hulls of a boat.
Currently French officials will again be allowed to intercept boats prior to they collect migrant passengers from the coastal areas of France's north coast, although it's uncertain how the vessels will be stopped.
Powerful gusts are presently delaying the commencement of interceptions and the people-smuggling networks will be seeking methods to adapt to avoid detection, as they have frequently done in the past.
UK immigration authorities and Downing Street have been contacted for response.
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