France to begin stopping small boats in English Channel following UK pressure
France has agreed to start stopping small boats in the English Channel, after months of insistence from the UK.
The change in policy follows the British leader sent a letter to the French leader asking him to back the plan and saying there currently "have no effective preventive measure" in the Channel.
French security forces will be allowed to intercept the migrant vessels at sea, but only before they've picked up their passengers, according to authoritative confirmation.
French authorities have infrequently acted to prevent the heavily loaded boats departing from the coastline because it is considered excessively high a danger to both officers and individuals.
"It is essential that we implement these methods this month... We have no effective deterrent in the Channel."
Currently, a French maritime police spokesperson says officers will start intervening at sea, with the objective of protecting lives.
Notably, the official excluded the use of nets to stop boats, which had earlier been reported as a possible technique to snarl the propellers of the vessels.
This determination to take action at all is a major step forward, following a short-lived shift towards a stricter strategy this summer, which dropped off when the former Interior Minister departed from office.
That was highlighted in the summer month, preceding a meeting between the Prime Minister and French president, when authorities were observed walking into the sea to damage the hulls of a boat.
Now French officials will again be permitted to stop boats before they collect asylum-seeking individuals from the beaches of northern France, however it's uncertain how the small boats will be prevented.
Powerful gusts are presently delaying the start of interceptions and the human trafficking gangs will be looking for methods to adjust to evade detection, as they have done so often in the previous instances.
The Home Office and the Prime Minister's office have been approached for comment.
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