French authorities will start stopping migrant vessels in Channel after UK pressure
French officials have consented to start stopping small boats in the Channel, following months of pressure from the UK.
This policy shift follows the British leader sent a letter to the French leader asking him to support the initiative and stating there currently "have no effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage.
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 police have rarely intervened to stop the heavily loaded boats departing from the coastline because it is viewed as excessively high a risk to both officers and civilians.
"It is essential that we implement these tactics this month... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel."
Currently, a French maritime police representative states personnel will begin taking action at sea, with the aim of safeguarding lives.
Significantly, the official ruled out the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had earlier been suggested as a potential technique to disable the engines of the vessels.
This determination to intervene at all is a significant step forward, coming after a short-lived shift towards a more aggressive approach this warmer season, which ceased when the previous government official left government.
This was demonstrated in the summer month, preceding a summit between the UK leader and President, when authorities were witnessed wading into the sea to damage the hulls of a boat.
Now French officials will again be allowed to intercept boats before they pick up migrant passengers from the beaches of France's north coast, although it's not clear how the small boats will be stopped.
Powerful gusts are currently postponing the start of interceptions and the human trafficking gangs will be looking for ways to adapt to evade detection, as they have done so often in the previous instances.
UK immigration authorities and Downing Street have been approached for response.
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