French authorities will start intercepting small boats in Channel after 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 comes after the British leader sent a letter to the French leader urging him to back the plan and saying there presently "have no effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage.
French security forces will be allowed to stop the migrant vessels at sea, but only before they've collected their migrants, according to official statements.
French authorities have infrequently intervened to stop the heavily loaded boats leaving the shoreline because it is viewed as too great a danger to both officers and civilians.
"It is crucial that we deploy these tactics this period... We have no effective deterrent in the Channel."
Currently, a French maritime police spokesperson states personnel will begin intervening at sea, with the objective of safeguarding human life.
Significantly, 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.
This determination to intervene at all is a major advancement, following a short-lived change towards a more aggressive approach this summer, which ceased when the former Interior Minister departed from government.
That was highlighted in July, in the run-up to a summit between the UK leader and French president, when authorities were witnessed wading into the sea to slash the sides of a vessel.
Currently French authorities will once more be permitted to stop boats prior to they pick up migrant individuals from the coastal areas of France's north coast, although it's not clear how the vessels will be stopped.
Strong winds are currently delaying the commencement of intervention operations and the human trafficking networks will be looking for ways to adjust to avoid interception, as they have done so often in the past.
The Home Office and the Prime Minister's office have been approached for response.
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