French authorities will start stopping small boats in English Channel following UK pressure
French officials have consented to start stopping small boats in the English Channel, after an extended period of pressure from the United Kingdom.
The change in policy follows the Prime Minister sent a letter to the President asking him to support the initiative and saying there presently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage.
French security forces have been authorized to stop the migrant vessels at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their migrants, according to official confirmation.
French police have rarely acted to stop the heavily loaded boats leaving the shoreline because it is viewed as too great a danger to both officers and civilians.
"It is essential that we deploy these methods this month... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel."
Now, a French maritime police representative states officers will begin taking action at sea, with the aim of protecting lives.
Significantly, the official excluded the use of entanglement devices to intercept boats, which had earlier been suggested as a potential technique to disable the engines of the boats.
The decision to intervene at all is a major advancement, following a brief shift towards a more aggressive strategy this warmer season, which dropped off when the previous government official left office.
That was highlighted in the summer month, preceding a summit between the Prime Minister and French president, when authorities were witnessed wading into the sea to damage the sides of a boat.
Currently French officials will once more be allowed to stop boats before they pick up migrant passengers from the coastal areas of northern France, although it's uncertain how the small boats will be prevented.
Powerful gusts are currently delaying the commencement of intervention operations and the people-smuggling networks will be looking for ways to adjust to avoid 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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