French authorities will start stopping small boats in Channel after British demands
France has agreed to start stopping small boats in the Channel, following months of pressure from the UK.
The change in policy follows the Prime Minister wrote to the French leader urging him to back the initiative and stating there currently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage.
French maritime police have been authorized to stop the migrant vessels at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their passengers, according to authoritative confirmation.
French authorities have rarely intervened to prevent the heavily loaded boats leaving the coastline because it is considered excessively high a danger to both personnel and individuals.
"It is crucial that we deploy these tactics this period... We have no effective prevention in the Channel waters."
Currently, a French maritime police representative states personnel will begin intervening at sea, with the aim of safeguarding human life.
Notably, the official excluded the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had earlier been suggested as a possible technique to disable the engines of the vessels.
The decision to intervene at all is a significant step forward, following a short-lived change towards a stricter approach this summer, which ceased when the previous government official departed from office.
That was highlighted in July, preceding a meeting between the Prime Minister and French president, when authorities were observed wading into the sea to damage the sides of a vessel.
Now French authorities will once more be allowed to intercept boats before they collect migrant passengers from the coastal areas of northern France, however it's uncertain how the small boats will be stopped.
Powerful gusts are presently delaying the start of intervention operations and the people-smuggling networks will be seeking ways to adapt to avoid interception, as they have frequently done in the previous instances.
The Home Office and the Prime Minister's office have been contacted for comment.
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