France will start stopping small boats in Channel following UK pressure
France has agreed to start intercepting migrant vessels in the Channel, after an extended period of pressure from the UK.
The change in policy follows the British leader sent a letter to the President asking him to support the plan and saying there currently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the Channel.
French maritime police have been authorized to stop the small boats at sea, but only before they've picked up their migrants, according to authoritative confirmation.
French authorities have rarely intervened to stop the overcrowded boats departing from the coastline because it is viewed as excessively high a danger to both officers and civilians.
"It is crucial that we deploy these tactics this period... 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.
Notably, the official ruled out the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had earlier been reported as a potential method to disable the propellers of the boats.
This determination to take action at all is a major advancement, coming after a brief change towards a stricter strategy this warmer season, which dropped off when the previous Interior Minister left government.
This was demonstrated in the summer month, in the run-up to a meeting between the UK leader and French president, when French police were witnessed wading into the sea to slash the sides of a boat.
Now French authorities will once more be permitted to stop boats prior to they pick up asylum-seeking individuals from the beaches of northern France, however it's uncertain how the small boats will be prevented.
Strong winds are presently postponing the commencement of intervention operations and the human trafficking networks will be seeking methods to adapt to avoid interception, as they have done so often in the past.
UK immigration authorities and Downing Street have been contacted for comment.
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- Reasons Britain can't just return asylum seekers to France
- French government withdrawing from commitment to intercept migrant boats
UK immigration
Channel crossings
Border security
