France will start stopping migrant vessels in English Channel following British demands
France has agreed to start intercepting small boats in the English Channel, following an extended period of pressure from the UK.
This policy shift follows the British leader sent a letter to the President asking him to back the plan and stating there currently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the Channel.
French security forces have been authorized to intercept the migrant vessels at sea, but exclusively prior to they've picked up their migrants, according to official confirmation.
French police have rarely acted to stop the heavily loaded boats departing from the shoreline because it is considered too great a danger to both officers and civilians.
"It is crucial that we deploy these methods this period... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel."
Now, a French naval police spokesperson states personnel will begin intervening at sea, with the objective of protecting human life.
Significantly, the spokesperson excluded the use of nets to stop boats, which had earlier been suggested as a potential method to snarl the propellers of the boats.
This determination to take action at all is a significant advancement, coming after a short-lived shift towards a stricter strategy this summer, which dropped off when the former government official departed from government.
This was demonstrated in July, preceding a meeting between the UK leader and French president, when French police were witnessed wading into the sea to damage the hulls of a vessel.
Currently French officials will again be allowed to intercept boats before they collect migrant individuals from the coastal areas of northern France, however it's not clear how the vessels will be stopped.
Powerful gusts are currently postponing the commencement of intervention operations and the people-smuggling gangs will be looking for ways to adapt to evade interception, as they have done so often in the previous instances.
The Home Office and the Prime Minister's office have been contacted for comment.
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