French authorities will start stopping migrant vessels in English Channel following UK pressure
French officials have consented to begin stopping migrant vessels in the English Channel, following an extended period of pressure from the UK.
This policy shift follows the British leader sent a letter to the President urging him to back the plan and saying there presently "have no effective preventive measure" in the Channel.
French maritime police have been authorized to intercept the small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've picked up their passengers, according to authoritative confirmation.
French police have rarely intervened to prevent the heavily loaded boats departing from the shoreline because it is considered too great a danger to both personnel and civilians.
"It is essential that we deploy these methods this month... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel."
Now, a French maritime police representative says officers will begin intervening at sea, with the objective of safeguarding human life.
Significantly, the spokesperson excluded the use of nets to stop boats, which had previously been suggested as a possible technique to snarl the engines of the boats.
This determination to take action at all is a significant advancement, following a short-lived change towards a stricter strategy this summer, which dropped off when the previous Interior Minister departed from office.
This was demonstrated in July, in the run-up to a meeting between the Prime Minister and President, when authorities were observed walking into the sea to damage the hulls of a vessel.
Currently French authorities will again be permitted to stop boats prior to they pick up asylum-seeking passengers from the coastal areas of northern France, however it's uncertain how the vessels will be stopped.
Powerful gusts are presently delaying the start of interceptions and the people-smuggling networks will be looking for methods to adjust to evade detection, as they have frequently done in the past.
The Home Office and Downing Street have been contacted for response.
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