French authorities to begin stopping migrant vessels in Channel following British demands
French officials have consented to begin intercepting small boats in the Channel, after an extended period of pressure from the UK.
This policy shift comes after the Prime Minister sent a letter to the French leader asking him to back the initiative and stating there currently "lack any effective deterrent" in the maritime passage.
French maritime police will be allowed to stop the small boats at sea, but only before they've collected their passengers, according to authoritative statements.
French authorities have rarely intervened to prevent the overcrowded boats leaving the shoreline because it is considered too great a danger to both officers and individuals.
"It is crucial that we deploy these methods this period... We have no effective prevention in the Channel."
Currently, a French naval police representative states officers will start taking action at sea, with the aim of safeguarding human life.
Significantly, the spokesperson ruled out the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had previously been reported as a possible technique to snarl the engines of the boats.
This determination to intervene at all is a significant advancement, coming after a brief change towards a more aggressive approach this summer, which ceased when the previous Interior Minister left government.
That was highlighted in July, preceding a summit between the UK leader and President, when French police were observed wading into the sea to slash the hulls of a vessel.
Now French officials will again be permitted to stop boats before they pick up asylum-seeking passengers from the beaches of France's north coast, however it's not clear how the vessels will be stopped.
Strong winds are currently postponing the commencement of interceptions and the people-smuggling gangs will be looking for methods to adapt to evade interception, as they have done so often in the previous instances.
The Home Office and the Prime Minister's office have been approached for response.
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