French authorities to begin stopping small boats in Channel after British demands
France has agreed to begin stopping migrant vessels in the English Channel, after months of insistence from the United Kingdom.
The change in policy comes after the Prime Minister wrote to the French leader urging him to back the initiative and saying there presently "lack any effective deterrent" in the maritime passage.
French maritime police have been authorized to intercept the small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've picked up their migrants, according to authoritative statements.
French police have rarely acted to stop the overcrowded boats departing from the coastline because it is considered too great a risk to both officers and individuals.
"It is crucial that we implement these tactics this month... We have no effective deterrent in the Channel."
Now, a French naval police spokesperson says officers will start intervening at sea, with the aim of safeguarding lives.
Significantly, the spokesperson ruled out the use of entanglement devices to intercept boats, which had previously been suggested as a possible method to disable the propellers of the vessels.
This determination to take action at all is a significant step forward, coming after a short-lived change towards a more aggressive approach this warmer season, which ceased when the previous government official departed from government.
This was demonstrated in the summer month, preceding a meeting between the UK leader and French president, when French police were witnessed walking into the sea to damage the hulls of a vessel.
Now French officials will again be allowed to intercept boats before they pick up asylum-seeking individuals from the beaches of France's north coast, although it's not clear how the vessels will be stopped.
Powerful gusts are presently delaying the start of interceptions and the human trafficking networks will be looking for methods to adapt to avoid detection, as they have done so often in the past.
The Home Office and the Prime Minister's office have been contacted for comment.
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