France to begin stopping migrant vessels in English Channel following UK pressure
French officials have consented to start stopping migrant vessels in the Channel, after an extended period of insistence from the United Kingdom.
This policy shift comes after the British leader sent a letter to the President asking him to support the initiative and saying there presently "have no effective deterrent" in the Channel.
French maritime police will be allowed to intercept the migrant vessels at sea, but only before they've picked up their migrants, according to authoritative statements.
French authorities have rarely intervened to stop the heavily loaded boats departing from the shoreline because it is considered excessively high a danger to both officers and individuals.
"It is essential that we implement these tactics this period... We have no effective deterrent in the Channel."
Now, a French maritime police representative says personnel will begin intervening at sea, with the aim of protecting human life.
Notably, the spokesperson ruled out the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had previously been reported as a possible technique to snarl the engines of the boats.
The decision to take action at all is a significant advancement, following a brief change towards a stricter strategy this summer, which ceased when the former government official left government.
This was demonstrated in the summer month, in the run-up to a summit between the Prime Minister and French president, when French police were witnessed walking into the sea to slash the sides of a boat.
Now French officials will again be allowed to stop boats before they collect asylum-seeking passengers from the beaches of northern France, although it's not clear how the vessels will be prevented.
Strong winds are presently postponing the start of intervention operations and the people-smuggling networks will be seeking ways to adjust to evade interception, as they have done so often in the past.
The Home Office and the Prime Minister's office have been approached for comment.
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