French authorities to begin stopping small boats in English Channel after UK pressure
France has agreed to begin intercepting small boats in the Channel, following an extended period of pressure from the UK.
This policy shift follows the British leader wrote to the French leader asking him to support the plan and saying there presently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage.
French maritime police have been authorized to intercept the migrant vessels at sea, but exclusively prior to they've picked up their migrants, according to authoritative statements.
French authorities have rarely acted to prevent the heavily loaded boats departing from the coastline because it is viewed as too great a risk to both personnel and civilians.
"It is crucial that we implement these tactics this period... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel."
Now, a French naval police spokesperson says personnel will begin taking action at sea, with the aim of protecting human life.
Significantly, the spokesperson excluded the use of entanglement devices to intercept boats, which had earlier been suggested as a possible method to disable the propellers of the boats.
The decision to take action at all is a major advancement, following a short-lived change towards a more aggressive strategy this warmer season, which dropped off when the former Interior Minister left office.
This was demonstrated in the summer month, preceding a summit between the Prime Minister and French president, when authorities were witnessed walking into the sea to damage the sides of a boat.
Now French authorities will again be allowed to stop boats prior to they collect migrant individuals from the coastal areas of northern France, however it's uncertain how the small boats will be prevented.
Powerful gusts are presently postponing the start of intervention operations and the human trafficking networks will be seeking methods to adapt to evade interception, as they have done so often in the previous instances.
UK immigration authorities and Downing Street have been approached for comment.
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