France will start stopping migrant vessels in Channel after British demands
France has agreed to start stopping small boats in the Channel, following months of insistence from the United Kingdom.
The change in policy follows the British leader sent a letter to the President urging him to support the plan and stating there presently "have no effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage.
French maritime police will be allowed to stop the migrant vessels at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their passengers, according to authoritative statements.
French authorities have rarely intervened to stop 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 tactics this period... We have zero effective deterrent in the Channel."
Now, a French maritime police representative states personnel will start taking action at sea, with the objective of protecting lives.
Significantly, the spokesperson ruled out the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had previously been suggested as a potential technique to disable the engines of the boats.
This determination to intervene at all is a major step forward, coming after a short-lived change towards a stricter strategy this warmer season, which dropped off when the previous Interior Minister departed from government.
That was highlighted in the summer month, preceding a summit between the UK leader and President, when French police were observed walking into the sea to slash the hulls of a boat.
Now French authorities will once more be allowed to stop boats before they pick up migrant passengers from the coastal areas of France's north coast, although it's uncertain how the vessels will be prevented.
Strong winds are currently delaying the start of intervention operations and the people-smuggling gangs will be seeking ways to adjust to avoid interception, as they have done so often in the previous instances.
UK immigration authorities and Downing Street have been contacted for comment.
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