France will start stopping small boats in English Channel following British demands
French officials have consented to begin intercepting migrant vessels in the Channel, after an extended period of insistence from the UK.
The change in policy follows the Prime Minister wrote to the President asking him to back the initiative and saying there presently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the Channel.
French maritime police have been authorized to intercept the small boats at sea, but only before they've picked up their migrants, according to official statements.
French police have infrequently intervened to stop the overcrowded boats leaving the coastline because it is viewed as excessively high a risk to both personnel and individuals.
"It is crucial that we deploy these tactics this period... We have no effective deterrent in the Channel."
Currently, a French maritime police spokesperson says personnel will begin taking action at sea, with the aim of protecting lives.
Significantly, the spokesperson excluded the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had previously been reported as a possible method to snarl the engines of the boats.
This determination to take action at all is a major advancement, coming after a brief shift towards a more aggressive approach this summer, which ceased when the former government official departed from government.
That was highlighted in the summer month, in the run-up to a summit between the Prime Minister and French president, when French police were observed walking into the sea to damage the sides of a boat.
Currently French officials will again be allowed to stop boats prior to they collect migrant passengers from the coastal areas of France's north coast, although it's not clear how the vessels will be stopped.
Powerful gusts are currently delaying the commencement of intervention operations and the human trafficking networks will be looking for methods to adapt to evade interception, as they have frequently done in the past.
The Home Office and the Prime Minister's office have been contacted for comment.
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