France will start stopping migrant vessels in Channel after British demands
French officials have consented to start stopping small boats in the English Channel, following an extended period of pressure from the United Kingdom.
The change in policy comes after the Prime Minister wrote to the President urging him to support the plan and saying there currently "lack any effective deterrent" in the maritime passage.
French security forces will be allowed to intercept the migrant vessels at sea, but only before they've collected their migrants, according to authoritative statements.
French authorities have rarely acted to prevent the overcrowded boats departing from the coastline because it is viewed as excessively high a risk to both officers and civilians.
"It is essential that we deploy these methods this month... We have no effective deterrent in the Channel waters."
Now, a French maritime police spokesperson states officers will begin intervening at sea, with the aim of safeguarding lives.
Notably, the official ruled out the use of nets to intercept boats, which had previously been suggested as a possible technique to disable the engines of the vessels.
The decision to intervene at all is a significant advancement, following a brief change towards a stricter approach this warmer season, which dropped off when the former government official left office.
That was highlighted in the summer month, in the run-up to a meeting between the Prime Minister and French president, when French police were witnessed walking into the sea to slash the sides of a vessel.
Currently French officials will again be allowed to intercept boats before they collect migrant passengers from the beaches of northern France, although it's not clear how the vessels will be stopped.
Strong winds are currently delaying the commencement of intervention operations and the human trafficking gangs will be seeking ways to adjust to evade interception, as they have frequently done in the past.
The Home Office and Downing Street have been approached for response.
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