France will start stopping migrant vessels in Channel after 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 urging him to support the plan and stating there presently "have no effective preventive measure" in the Channel.
French security forces will be allowed to intercept the migrant vessels at sea, but only before they've collected their passengers, according to official statements.
French authorities have rarely acted to stop the overcrowded boats leaving the coastline because it is viewed as excessively high a risk to both personnel and civilians.
"It is essential that we deploy these methods this period... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel."
Now, a French naval police spokesperson states personnel will start intervening at sea, with the objective of protecting lives.
Notably, the spokesperson ruled out the use of nets to intercept boats, which had previously been reported as a possible technique to disable the engines of the boats.
The decision to intervene at all is a significant step forward, coming after a brief shift towards a more aggressive strategy this warmer season, which dropped off when the former Interior Minister left government.
That was highlighted in July, preceding a summit between the UK leader and President, when authorities were witnessed walking into the sea to slash the hulls of a vessel.
Currently French officials will again be permitted to intercept boats before they pick up migrant passengers from the beaches of France's north coast, although it's not clear how the vessels will be stopped.
Strong winds are presently postponing the start of interceptions and the people-smuggling gangs will be seeking ways to adapt to evade detection, as they have frequently done in the previous instances.
UK immigration authorities and Downing Street have been contacted for response.
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