French authorities to begin stopping small boats in Channel following UK pressure
France has agreed to begin stopping small boats in the Channel, following an extended period of pressure from the United Kingdom.
This policy shift follows the British leader sent a letter to the President urging him to back the plan and stating there currently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the Channel.
French security forces will be allowed to stop the small boats at sea, but only before they've picked up their passengers, according to authoritative statements.
French authorities have infrequently intervened to prevent the overcrowded boats departing from the shoreline because it is viewed as too great a danger to both personnel and individuals.
"It is crucial that we deploy these methods this period... We have no effective prevention in the Channel."
Now, a French maritime police representative says officers will begin taking action at sea, with the objective of safeguarding lives.
Notably, the official excluded the use of entanglement devices to intercept boats, which had previously been reported as a possible method to snarl the engines of the boats.
The decision to intervene at all is a major advancement, coming after a brief shift towards a more aggressive approach this summer, which dropped off when the previous Interior Minister departed from office.
This was demonstrated in the summer month, preceding a summit between the Prime Minister and French president, when French police were observed wading into the sea to slash 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 vessels will be stopped.
Powerful gusts are currently delaying the start of intervention operations and the human trafficking networks will be looking for methods to adapt to avoid interception, as they have frequently done in the previous instances.
The Home Office and Downing Street have been approached for comment.
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