France to begin stopping small boats in English Channel after UK pressure
France has agreed to begin intercepting migrant vessels in the English Channel, after an extended period of pressure from the UK.
This policy shift comes after the British leader wrote to the French leader urging him to back the plan and stating there currently "have no effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage.
French maritime police have been authorized to stop the migrant vessels at sea, but only before they've collected their migrants, according to official statements.
French police have rarely acted to stop the heavily loaded boats leaving the shoreline because it is viewed as excessively high a danger to both officers and individuals.
"It is essential that we implement these tactics this period... We have no effective prevention in the Channel."
Now, a French maritime police spokesperson says personnel will start taking action at sea, with the aim of protecting human life.
Notably, the official excluded the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had previously been reported as a potential technique to disable the propellers of the vessels.
This determination to take action at all is a major advancement, coming after a short-lived shift towards a stricter strategy this summer, which dropped off when the former government official left government.
This was demonstrated in July, preceding a meeting between the UK leader and President, when authorities were witnessed wading into the sea to slash the sides of a boat.
Now French officials will once more be permitted to intercept boats before they pick up asylum-seeking passengers from the coastal areas of France's north coast, however it's uncertain how the vessels will be stopped.
Strong winds are presently postponing the start of interceptions and the people-smuggling gangs will be seeking ways to adapt to evade detection, as they have done so often in the past.
UK immigration authorities and the Prime Minister's office have been contacted for comment.
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