French authorities to begin stopping small boats in Channel following British demands
France has agreed to begin stopping migrant vessels in the English Channel, after months of pressure from the UK.
This policy shift follows the Prime Minister wrote to the French leader asking him to back the plan and saying there presently "have no effective preventive measure" in the Channel.
French maritime police will be allowed to stop the small boats at sea, but only before they've picked up their passengers, according to official statements.
French authorities have infrequently acted to prevent the heavily loaded boats leaving the coastline because it is considered too great a risk to both personnel and individuals.
"It is essential that we implement these methods 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 official excluded the use of nets 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 stricter approach this summer, which ceased when the former government official departed from office.
That was highlighted in July, preceding a summit between the UK leader and President, when French police were observed walking into the sea to slash the hulls of a boat.
Currently French authorities will again be permitted to stop boats prior to they collect asylum-seeking passengers from the coastal areas of northern France, although it's not clear how the small boats will be stopped.
Strong winds are currently delaying the start of interceptions and the human trafficking gangs will be seeking methods to adapt to evade interception, as they have frequently done in the previous instances.
The Home Office and the Prime Minister's office have been approached for comment.
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