France will start stopping migrant vessels in Channel after UK pressure
French officials have consented to start stopping migrant vessels in the English Channel, following months of pressure from the United Kingdom.
The change in policy follows the Prime Minister wrote to the French leader urging him to back the initiative and saying there presently "have no effective deterrent" in the Channel.
French maritime police have been authorized to stop the migrant vessels at sea, but only before they've picked up their migrants, according to authoritative confirmation.
French authorities have rarely acted to stop the overcrowded boats departing from the shoreline because it is viewed as excessively high a risk to both personnel and civilians.
"It is essential that we implement these methods this month... We have no effective deterrent in the Channel."
Currently, a French naval police spokesperson states officers will start intervening at sea, with the objective of safeguarding lives.
Notably, the official ruled out the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had earlier been reported as a possible technique to snarl the engines of the boats.
The decision to intervene at all is a major step forward, coming after a brief change towards a stricter strategy this warmer season, which ceased when the former Interior Minister departed from government.
This was demonstrated in the summer month, preceding a meeting between the UK leader and French president, when French police were witnessed walking into the sea to damage the sides of a boat.
Now French authorities will again be allowed to stop boats before they collect migrant passengers from the beaches of northern France, although it's uncertain how the vessels will be stopped.
Powerful gusts are presently delaying the start of intervention operations and the human trafficking networks will be seeking ways to adjust to evade detection, as they have done so often in the past.
The Home Office and Downing Street have been approached for comment.
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