France will start stopping small boats in Channel following British demands
French officials have consented to begin stopping migrant vessels in the Channel, following months of insistence from the United Kingdom.
This policy shift follows the Prime Minister wrote to the President asking him to back the initiative and saying there presently "lack any effective deterrent" in the Channel.
French maritime police have been authorized to intercept the small boats at sea, but only before they've collected their migrants, according to official confirmation.
French authorities have rarely intervened to stop the overcrowded boats leaving the coastline because it is viewed as too great a risk to both officers and individuals.
"It is essential that we implement these tactics this period... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel waters."
Now, a French maritime police spokesperson says personnel will start intervening at sea, with the objective of protecting human life.
Notably, the official ruled out the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had previously been reported as a potential technique to snarl the propellers of the vessels.
The decision to intervene at all is a major step forward, following a short-lived shift towards a stricter approach this warmer season, which dropped off when the previous government official departed from government.
That was highlighted in July, preceding a meeting between the Prime Minister and French president, when French police were observed walking into the sea to damage the hulls of a vessel.
Now French officials will again be permitted to stop boats before they collect migrant passengers from the beaches of France's north coast, although it's uncertain how the vessels will be prevented.
Powerful gusts are currently postponing the start of interceptions and the human trafficking gangs will be looking for ways to adapt to evade detection, as they have done so often in the previous instances.
The Home Office and the Prime Minister's office have been contacted for comment.
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