French authorities will start stopping migrant vessels in English Channel following UK pressure
French officials have consented to start intercepting small boats in the Channel, after an extended period of pressure from the UK.
The change in policy comes after the Prime Minister wrote to the President urging him to back the initiative and stating there currently "have no effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage.
French security forces will be allowed to stop the migrant vessels at sea, but only before they've collected their passengers, according to official confirmation.
French police have rarely intervened to prevent the overcrowded boats departing from the shoreline because it is viewed as excessively high a risk to both personnel and individuals.
"It is crucial that we deploy these tactics this month... We have no effective deterrent in the Channel."
Now, a French maritime police representative says officers will begin intervening at sea, with the aim of protecting lives.
Significantly, the spokesperson ruled out the use of entanglement devices to intercept boats, which had previously been reported as a potential method to snarl the propellers of the boats.
This determination to take action at all is a significant step forward, following a brief shift towards a stricter strategy this warmer season, which dropped off when the previous Interior Minister departed from government.
This was demonstrated in the summer month, in the run-up to a summit between the Prime Minister and President, when authorities were witnessed wading into the sea to damage the hulls of a vessel.
Currently French officials will once more be allowed to stop boats prior to they pick up asylum-seeking passengers from the beaches of northern France, however it's uncertain how the small boats will be stopped.
Strong winds are currently postponing the start of interceptions and the people-smuggling networks will be looking for methods to adapt to avoid interception, as they have done so often in the previous instances.
UK immigration authorities and Downing Street have been approached for response.
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