French authorities will start stopping migrant vessels in English Channel after British demands
French officials have consented to start intercepting small boats in the English Channel, after months of insistence from the United Kingdom.
The change in policy comes after the Prime Minister wrote to the President asking him to back the initiative and stating there currently "have no effective preventive measure" in the Channel.
French security forces will be allowed to stop the small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their passengers, according to official statements.
French police have infrequently intervened to prevent the overcrowded boats leaving the coastline because it is considered too great a risk to both personnel and individuals.
"It is essential that we deploy these methods this month... We have no effective prevention in the Channel."
Currently, a French maritime police spokesperson says officers will start intervening at sea, with the aim of protecting lives.
Significantly, the spokesperson excluded the use of nets to stop boats, which had previously been reported as a possible method to disable the engines of the vessels.
This determination to take action at all is a major step forward, coming after a short-lived shift towards a stricter strategy this warmer season, which dropped off when the previous government official left office.
That was highlighted in the summer month, in the run-up to a summit between the UK leader and French president, when French police were witnessed walking into the sea to damage the hulls of a vessel.
Now French authorities will once more be allowed to intercept boats before they collect migrant individuals from the beaches of northern France, although it's uncertain how the small boats will be prevented.
Strong winds are currently delaying the commencement of interceptions and the human trafficking networks will be seeking ways to adjust to evade detection, as they have frequently done in the past.
UK immigration authorities and Downing Street have been contacted for comment.
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