French authorities will start stopping small boats in English Channel following UK pressure
France has agreed to begin intercepting small boats in the English Channel, after an extended period of pressure from the United Kingdom.
This policy shift comes after the Prime Minister wrote to the French leader urging him to support the initiative and stating there currently "lack any effective deterrent" in the maritime passage.
French maritime police will be allowed to intercept the migrant vessels at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their passengers, according to authoritative statements.
French authorities have infrequently intervened to prevent the heavily loaded boats leaving the shoreline because it is considered too great a risk to both personnel and civilians.
"It is essential that we deploy these tactics this period... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel."
Currently, a French naval police spokesperson states officers will begin intervening at sea, with the objective of protecting human life.
Notably, the spokesperson ruled out the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had earlier been reported as a potential technique to disable the propellers of the boats.
The decision to take action at all is a major step forward, coming after a brief shift towards a more aggressive approach this summer, which dropped off when the former Interior Minister left office.
That was highlighted in July, preceding a meeting between the Prime Minister and President, when authorities were observed walking into the sea to damage the sides of a vessel.
Currently French officials will once more be permitted to intercept boats prior to they pick up migrant individuals from the beaches of northern France, however it's not clear how the small boats will be stopped.
Powerful gusts are presently delaying the start of intervention operations and the human trafficking gangs will be looking for ways to adjust to avoid detection, as they have done so often in the past.
UK immigration authorities and the Prime Minister's office have been contacted for comment.
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