France to begin stopping small boats in English Channel following UK pressure
French officials have consented to start stopping migrant vessels in the English Channel, following an extended period of pressure from the UK.
This policy shift comes after the British leader sent a letter to the French leader urging him to back the plan and stating there currently "lack any effective deterrent" in the Channel.
French maritime police will be allowed to intercept the migrant vessels at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their migrants, according to official confirmation.
French police have infrequently acted to prevent the heavily loaded boats leaving the coastline because it is viewed as too great a danger to both personnel and civilians.
"It is essential that we deploy these methods this month... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel waters."
Now, a French naval police representative states officers will start intervening at sea, with the objective of protecting human life.
Significantly, the official excluded the use of entanglement devices to intercept boats, which had previously been reported as a potential technique to disable the propellers of the vessels.
This determination to take action at all is a significant step forward, coming after a brief shift towards a more aggressive strategy this warmer season, which dropped off when the former Interior Minister left government.
That was highlighted in July, in the run-up to a meeting between the Prime Minister and President, when French police were observed walking into the sea to damage the hulls of a vessel.
Now French officials will again be allowed to stop boats prior to they pick up asylum-seeking passengers from the beaches of France's north coast, however it's not clear how the small boats will be stopped.
Strong winds are presently postponing the commencement of interceptions and the people-smuggling gangs will be seeking ways to adapt to avoid interception, as they have frequently done in the past.
The Home Office and Downing Street have been contacted for comment.
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