French authorities to begin stopping migrant vessels in English Channel following UK pressure
French officials have consented to begin intercepting small boats in the Channel, after an extended period of pressure from the United Kingdom.
This policy shift follows the Prime Minister wrote to the French leader asking him to support the initiative and saying there presently "have no effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage.
French security forces have been authorized to stop the small boats at sea, but only before they've picked up their migrants, according to authoritative confirmation.
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 personnel and individuals.
"It is crucial that we implement these tactics this period... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel."
Currently, a French maritime police spokesperson states personnel will begin intervening at sea, with the aim of safeguarding lives.
Notably, the spokesperson excluded the use of nets to intercept boats, which had earlier been suggested as a possible technique to disable the engines of the vessels.
This determination to take action at all is a significant step forward, following a short-lived change towards a more aggressive strategy this summer, which ceased when the former government official departed from office.
That was highlighted in July, in the run-up to a summit between the Prime Minister and President, when French police were observed wading into the sea to damage the hulls of a vessel.
Now French officials will again be permitted to stop boats prior to they collect asylum-seeking individuals from the coastal areas of northern France, however it's not clear how the vessels will be prevented.
Strong winds are presently delaying the commencement of interceptions and the people-smuggling networks will be seeking methods to adapt to evade interception, as they have frequently done in the past.
UK immigration authorities and the Prime Minister's office have been approached for comment.
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