France will start stopping small boats in Channel after British demands
France has agreed to start intercepting migrant vessels in the Channel, after months of pressure from the United Kingdom.
The change in policy comes after the British leader sent a letter to the French leader urging him to back the initiative and saying there currently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the Channel.
French maritime police will be allowed to intercept the small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've picked up their migrants, according to official statements.
French authorities have rarely intervened to stop the heavily loaded boats departing from the coastline because it is considered excessively high a risk to both personnel and civilians.
"It is crucial that we implement these methods this month... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel."
Now, a French maritime police representative says personnel will start taking action at sea, with the objective of protecting human life.
Notably, the spokesperson excluded the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had earlier been suggested as a possible technique to snarl the propellers of the boats.
The decision to intervene at all is a major advancement, following a brief shift towards a stricter approach this summer, which dropped off when the previous government official departed from government.
This was demonstrated in the summer month, preceding a meeting between the Prime Minister and President, when French police were witnessed wading into the sea to slash the hulls of a vessel.
Now French officials will again be permitted to intercept boats prior to they pick up migrant passengers from the coastal areas of northern France, although it's uncertain how the vessels will be prevented.
Powerful gusts are presently postponing the commencement of intervention operations and the people-smuggling gangs will be looking for ways to adjust to avoid detection, as they have frequently done in the previous instances.
UK immigration authorities and the Prime Minister's office have been approached for comment.
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