French authorities to begin stopping migrant vessels in Channel after UK pressure
France has agreed to start stopping small boats in the Channel, after an extended period of insistence from the United Kingdom.
This policy shift comes after the Prime Minister sent a letter to the President urging him to support the initiative and stating there presently "have no effective preventive measure" in the Channel.
French security forces will be allowed to stop the small boats at sea, but only before they've collected their passengers, according to authoritative confirmation.
French authorities have infrequently acted to prevent the heavily loaded boats departing from the coastline because it is considered excessively high a danger to both personnel and individuals.
"It is essential that we deploy these methods this period... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel."
Now, a French maritime police representative says officers will start intervening at sea, with the aim of protecting human life.
Significantly, the official excluded the use of entanglement devices to intercept boats, which had previously been reported as a potential method to disable the engines of the vessels.
This determination to intervene at all is a significant advancement, coming after a brief change towards a stricter strategy this warmer season, which dropped off when the previous Interior Minister departed from government.
That was highlighted in July, preceding a meeting between the UK leader and President, when authorities were observed wading into the sea to slash the hulls of a vessel.
Now French authorities will again be permitted to intercept boats before they collect migrant passengers from the coastal areas of France's north coast, however it's uncertain how the vessels will be prevented.
Powerful gusts are presently postponing the commencement of interceptions and the human trafficking networks will be looking for ways to adapt to evade interception, as they have frequently done in the past.
UK immigration authorities and the Prime Minister's office have been contacted for comment.
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