France will start intercepting small boats in English Channel following UK pressure
France has agreed to start stopping small boats in the Channel, following months of pressure from the United Kingdom.
This policy shift comes after the British leader sent a letter 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 small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've picked up their passengers, according to authoritative statements.
French authorities have rarely acted to prevent the heavily loaded boats departing from the coastline because it is considered excessively high a risk to both personnel and civilians.
"It is essential that we deploy these tactics this period... We have no effective prevention in the Channel waters."
Currently, a French naval police spokesperson says officers will begin intervening at sea, with the aim 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 snarl the propellers of the vessels.
This determination to intervene at all is a major advancement, following a short-lived shift towards a more aggressive strategy this summer, which ceased when the previous Interior Minister departed from office.
This was demonstrated in the summer month, preceding a meeting between the UK leader and President, when authorities were witnessed walking into the sea to damage the hulls of a boat.
Now French authorities will again be allowed to intercept boats prior to they pick up migrant passengers from the beaches of northern France, however it's uncertain how the vessels will be prevented.
Strong winds are presently delaying the commencement of interceptions and the human trafficking gangs will be seeking methods to adjust to avoid detection, as they have frequently done in the previous instances.
The Home Office and Downing Street have been contacted for comment.
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