French authorities will start stopping small boats in Channel after British demands
France has agreed to start stopping migrant vessels in the English Channel, after an extended period of pressure from the United Kingdom.
This policy shift follows the British leader wrote to the French leader urging him to back the plan and stating there presently "lack any effective deterrent" 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 migrants, according to authoritative confirmation.
French authorities have rarely intervened to prevent the overcrowded boats departing from the coastline because it is considered excessively high a risk to both officers and civilians.
"It is essential that we implement these methods this period... We have no effective deterrent in the Channel."
Now, a French naval police representative says officers will start taking action at sea, with the aim of safeguarding human life.
Notably, the official ruled out the use of nets to intercept boats, which had previously been suggested as a potential method to disable the engines of the boats.
This determination to take action at all is a major step forward, coming after a short-lived shift towards a stricter approach this warmer season, which dropped off when the former government official left government.
This was demonstrated in the summer month, in the run-up to a summit between the UK leader and French president, when authorities were observed walking into the sea to damage the sides of a boat.
Now French officials will once more be allowed to intercept boats prior to they collect asylum-seeking individuals from the beaches of northern France, however it's uncertain how the small boats will be stopped.
Strong winds are presently delaying the commencement of interceptions and the people-smuggling gangs will be seeking methods to adapt to evade detection, as they have frequently done in the past.
The Home Office and the Prime Minister's office have been approached for comment.
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