France to begin stopping migrant vessels in Channel following UK pressure
France has agreed to start intercepting migrant vessels in the English Channel, after an extended period of insistence from the United Kingdom.
The change in policy follows the British leader wrote to the French leader asking him to back the initiative and saying there presently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the Channel.
French security forces 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 infrequently intervened to stop the overcrowded boats departing from the coastline because it is viewed as too great a risk to both personnel and individuals.
"It is essential that we deploy these tactics this period... We have no effective prevention in the Channel waters."
Currently, a French naval police representative states officers will begin intervening at sea, with the aim of protecting lives.
Notably, the official ruled out the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had earlier been reported as a potential technique to disable the engines of the vessels.
This determination to intervene at all is a major advancement, following a brief change towards a more aggressive approach this summer, which dropped off when the previous government official departed from office.
That was highlighted in July, preceding a summit between the UK leader and French president, when authorities were observed walking into the sea to slash the hulls of a boat.
Currently French authorities will once more be allowed to stop boats before they collect asylum-seeking individuals from the coastal areas of France's north coast, however it's not clear how the small boats will be prevented.
Strong winds are presently postponing the commencement of interceptions and the people-smuggling networks will be looking for methods to adapt to evade interception, as they have frequently done in the previous instances.
The Home Office and Downing Street have been approached for comment.
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