France to begin stopping small boats in Channel after UK pressure
French officials have consented to start stopping migrant vessels in the English Channel, following months of pressure from the UK.
The change in policy follows the Prime Minister sent a letter to the French leader asking him to back the plan and saying there currently "lack any effective deterrent" in the maritime passage.
French security forces will be allowed to intercept the small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their passengers, according to authoritative confirmation.
French police have rarely acted to stop the heavily loaded boats leaving the shoreline because it is considered too great a danger to both officers and civilians.
"It is essential that we implement these methods this period... We have no effective prevention in the Channel."
Currently, a French maritime police representative states officers will begin taking action at sea, with the objective of protecting human life.
Notably, the spokesperson ruled out the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had previously been reported as a potential technique to snarl the engines of the vessels.
This determination to take action at all is a major advancement, coming after a short-lived shift towards a more aggressive approach this summer, which ceased when the former Interior Minister departed from office.
This was demonstrated in July, preceding a summit between the UK leader and President, when authorities were observed wading into the sea to damage the sides of a vessel.
Now French authorities will again be allowed to stop boats before they collect asylum-seeking passengers from the coastal areas of France's north coast, however it's uncertain how the vessels will be prevented.
Powerful gusts are presently delaying the start of interceptions and the human trafficking gangs will be seeking ways to adapt to avoid interception, as they have done so often in the past.
The Home Office and Downing Street have been approached for response.
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