French authorities to begin stopping small boats in Channel after UK pressure
France has agreed to begin stopping small boats in the Channel, after months of insistence from the United Kingdom.
This policy shift comes after the British leader wrote to the French leader urging him to back the plan and saying there currently "lack any effective deterrent" in the maritime passage.
French maritime police have been authorized to stop the small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their migrants, according to authoritative statements.
French authorities have rarely intervened to stop the overcrowded boats departing from the coastline because it is considered excessively high a risk to both officers and individuals.
"It is essential that we implement these tactics this month... We have zero effective deterrent in the Channel waters."
Currently, a French naval police spokesperson states personnel will start taking action at sea, with the aim of safeguarding lives.
Notably, the spokesperson excluded the use of nets to intercept boats, which had earlier been reported as a potential method to disable the engines of the boats.
The decision to intervene at all is a major step forward, coming after a short-lived shift towards a more aggressive approach this summer, which dropped off when the previous Interior Minister departed from office.
That was highlighted in the summer month, preceding a meeting between the Prime Minister and French president, when French police were observed wading into the sea to damage the hulls of a boat.
Currently French authorities will once more be permitted to stop boats before they pick up migrant passengers from the coastal areas of France's north coast, although it's uncertain how the small boats will be stopped.
Powerful gusts are currently delaying the commencement of intervention operations and the human trafficking networks will be seeking ways to adapt to evade detection, as they have frequently done in the past.
UK immigration authorities and Downing Street have been approached for comment.
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