French authorities to begin stopping small boats in Channel following UK pressure
France has agreed to start stopping migrant vessels in the Channel, after an extended period of pressure from the United Kingdom.
The change in policy follows the Prime Minister wrote to the French leader asking him to support the plan and saying there currently "lack any effective deterrent" in the maritime passage.
French security forces will be allowed to intercept the migrant vessels at sea, but only before they've picked up their passengers, according to authoritative confirmation.
French police have rarely intervened to prevent the overcrowded boats departing from the shoreline because it is viewed as too great a danger to both personnel and civilians.
"It is crucial that we implement these tactics this month... We have zero effective deterrent in the Channel waters."
Now, a French maritime police spokesperson states officers will begin intervening at sea, with the objective of safeguarding lives.
Notably, the spokesperson excluded the use of nets to stop boats, which had earlier been reported as a possible technique to snarl the propellers of the boats.
This determination to take action at all is a major advancement, following a brief change towards a more aggressive approach this summer, which ceased when the previous government official departed from government.
That was highlighted in the summer month, in the run-up to a summit between the Prime Minister and President, when French police were observed walking into the sea to slash the hulls of a vessel.
Now French officials will once more be allowed to intercept boats before they collect asylum-seeking passengers from the beaches of France's north coast, although it's uncertain how the small boats will be stopped.
Powerful gusts are presently postponing the commencement of intervention operations and the human trafficking networks will be seeking ways to adapt to avoid detection, as they have done so often in the previous instances.
UK immigration authorities and the Prime Minister's office have been contacted for comment.
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- France withdrawing from commitment to intercept migrant boats
UK immigration
Channel crossings
Border security
