France will start stopping migrant vessels in Channel after UK pressure
France has agreed to begin stopping small boats in the English Channel, after an extended period of insistence from the UK.
The change in policy follows the Prime Minister sent a letter to the French leader asking him to back the plan and saying there presently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage.
French maritime police have been authorized to intercept the small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their migrants, according to official confirmation.
French police have rarely intervened to prevent the heavily loaded boats departing from the shoreline because it is viewed as too great a risk to both personnel and individuals.
"It is essential that we deploy these methods this period... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel."
Now, a French maritime police representative states officers will begin taking action at sea, with the aim of protecting lives.
Notably, the official ruled out the use of nets to stop boats, which had earlier been suggested as a potential technique to disable the engines of the boats.
The decision to intervene at all is a significant step forward, following a brief shift towards a stricter strategy this summer, which ceased when the former Interior Minister left office.
This was demonstrated in July, in the run-up to a summit between the UK leader and President, when authorities were witnessed walking into the sea to slash the sides of a boat.
Now French authorities will again be permitted to stop boats prior to they collect migrant individuals from the beaches of northern France, although it's not clear how the small boats will be stopped.
Powerful gusts are currently postponing the commencement of intervention operations and the human trafficking gangs will be looking for methods to adjust to avoid detection, as they have frequently done in the previous instances.
The Home Office and Downing Street have been approached for response.
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