French authorities to begin stopping migrant vessels in English Channel after British demands
France has agreed to start intercepting small boats in the Channel, after months of insistence from the UK.
This policy shift follows the Prime Minister sent a letter to the President asking him to support the plan and saying there currently "have no effective deterrent" in the maritime passage.
French maritime police have been authorized to stop the small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their passengers, according to official statements.
French authorities have rarely intervened to prevent the heavily loaded boats departing from the shoreline because it is considered too great a risk to both officers and individuals.
"It is crucial that we deploy these methods this month... We have zero effective deterrent in the Channel."
Now, a French maritime police spokesperson says officers will start taking action at sea, with the aim of safeguarding lives.
Notably, the spokesperson ruled out the use of entanglement devices to intercept boats, which had previously been suggested as a possible method to snarl the propellers of the boats.
The decision to take action at all is a major advancement, coming after a brief shift towards a stricter strategy this summer, which ceased when the previous Interior Minister departed from government.
That was highlighted in July, in the run-up to a meeting between the UK leader and President, when French police were witnessed wading into the sea to damage the sides of a boat.
Now French officials will again be allowed to stop boats prior to they collect asylum-seeking passengers from the coastal areas of northern France, although it's not clear how the vessels will be prevented.
Powerful gusts are presently delaying the commencement of interceptions and the people-smuggling networks will be seeking ways to adapt to avoid detection, as they have done so often in the past.
The Home Office and the Prime Minister's office have been contacted for comment.
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