French authorities to begin stopping migrant vessels in English Channel following UK pressure
French officials have consented to start stopping small boats in the English Channel, following months of pressure from the UK.
This policy shift follows the British leader wrote to the French leader asking him to back the plan and stating there presently "have no effective deterrent" in the Channel.
French maritime police have been authorized to intercept the small boats at sea, but only before they've picked up their passengers, according to authoritative confirmation.
French authorities have infrequently intervened to prevent the overcrowded boats leaving the coastline because it is viewed as excessively high a risk to both officers and individuals.
"It is essential that we deploy these tactics this month... We have no effective deterrent in the Channel."
Currently, a French naval police representative states officers will start intervening at sea, with the aim of protecting lives.
Notably, the spokesperson ruled out the use of entanglement devices to intercept boats, which had earlier been suggested as a potential method to disable the engines of the vessels.
This determination to intervene at all is a significant advancement, coming after a brief change towards a stricter strategy this summer, which dropped off when the former Interior Minister departed from government.
This was demonstrated in the summer month, in the run-up to a summit between the Prime Minister and President, when French police were observed wading into the sea to damage the hulls of a boat.
Now French officials will again be allowed to intercept boats before they collect asylum-seeking passengers from the coastal areas of France's north coast, although it's uncertain how the vessels will be stopped.
Strong winds are presently delaying the start of intervention operations and the people-smuggling gangs will be seeking methods to adapt to evade detection, as they have frequently done in the previous instances.
UK immigration authorities and Downing Street have been approached for response.
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