French authorities will start stopping migrant vessels in English Channel after British demands
France has agreed to start stopping small boats in the Channel, after months of pressure from the United Kingdom.
The change in policy follows the British leader sent a letter to the French leader asking him to back the initiative and stating there currently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the Channel.
French maritime police will be allowed to stop the small boats at sea, but only before they've picked up their migrants, according to official statements.
French police have rarely intervened to prevent the overcrowded boats leaving the coastline because it is considered too great a danger to both officers and civilians.
"It is crucial that we deploy these tactics this period... We have no effective prevention in the Channel waters."
Now, a French maritime police spokesperson states officers will begin taking action at sea, with the objective of safeguarding lives.
Notably, the spokesperson excluded the use of nets to stop boats, which had previously been suggested as a potential technique to snarl the propellers of the boats.
The decision to take action at all is a significant advancement, coming after a brief change towards a stricter strategy this warmer season, which dropped off when the former Interior Minister left government.
This was demonstrated in the summer month, in the run-up to a meeting between the UK leader and French president, when French police were observed walking into the sea to damage the sides of a vessel.
Now French authorities will once more be permitted to stop boats before they collect asylum-seeking individuals from the beaches of France's north coast, although it's uncertain how the small boats will be stopped.
Strong winds are presently delaying the commencement of intervention operations and the people-smuggling gangs will be looking for ways to adapt to evade interception, as they have frequently done in the previous instances.
UK immigration authorities and Downing Street have been approached for comment.
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