France to begin stopping small boats in English Channel following British demands
French officials have consented to start stopping migrant vessels in the Channel, following months of insistence from the UK.
This policy shift comes after the Prime Minister wrote to the President urging him to support the plan and saying there presently "lack any effective deterrent" in the maritime passage.
French security forces will be allowed to stop the small boats at sea, but only before they've picked up their passengers, according to authoritative statements.
French authorities have rarely intervened to stop the overcrowded boats departing from the shoreline because it is considered too great a risk to both personnel and civilians.
"It is crucial that we deploy these methods this period... We have no effective deterrent in the Channel."
Currently, a French naval police representative states officers will begin taking action at sea, with the objective of protecting lives.
Significantly, the spokesperson excluded the use of nets to intercept boats, which had previously been suggested as a possible technique to snarl the propellers of the vessels.
This determination to take action at all is a significant advancement, following a short-lived change towards a stricter approach this warmer season, which ceased when the previous Interior Minister departed from office.
This was demonstrated in July, preceding a summit between the Prime Minister and President, when authorities were witnessed walking into the sea to damage the hulls of a boat.
Now French officials will once more be allowed to stop boats before they pick up asylum-seeking passengers from the beaches of France's north coast, however it's not clear how the vessels will be prevented.
Strong winds are currently delaying the commencement of intervention operations and the people-smuggling networks will be seeking ways to adjust to evade interception, as they have frequently done in the previous instances.
UK immigration authorities and Downing Street have been contacted for response.
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