French authorities will start stopping small boats in English Channel following UK pressure
France has agreed to begin stopping migrant vessels in the English Channel, following an extended period of insistence from the United Kingdom.
The change in policy comes after the British leader wrote to the President urging him to support the plan and saying there presently "have no effective deterrent" in the Channel.
French security forces have been authorized to intercept the small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their passengers, according to authoritative confirmation.
French authorities have rarely acted to stop the overcrowded boats departing from the shoreline because it is considered excessively high a risk to both officers and civilians.
"It is essential that we deploy these methods this month... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel waters."
Currently, a French naval police representative says personnel will begin intervening at sea, with the aim of protecting human life.
Notably, the spokesperson ruled out the use of nets to stop boats, which had previously been reported as a potential technique to disable the engines of the boats.
The decision to intervene at all is a significant step forward, coming after a short-lived shift towards a more aggressive approach this warmer season, which ceased when the former government official left office.
This was demonstrated in the summer month, in the run-up to a summit between the Prime Minister and French president, when authorities were observed walking into the sea to slash the hulls of a vessel.
Now French officials will once more be allowed to intercept boats before they collect asylum-seeking individuals from the beaches of northern France, however it's uncertain how the small boats will be prevented.
Strong winds are currently postponing the start of interceptions and the people-smuggling gangs will be seeking ways to adapt to evade detection, as they have done so often in the past.
UK immigration authorities and the Prime Minister's office have been contacted for comment.
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