French authorities to begin stopping small boats in Channel after UK pressure
French officials have consented to begin stopping small boats in the Channel, after an extended period of insistence from the United Kingdom.
The change in policy follows the Prime Minister wrote to the President asking him to support the plan and stating there presently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the Channel.
French security forces have been authorized to stop the migrant vessels at sea, but only before they've collected their passengers, according to official statements.
French police have rarely intervened to stop the overcrowded boats departing from the coastline because it is considered too great a risk to both officers and civilians.
"It is essential that we implement these tactics this month... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel waters."
Currently, a French naval police representative states personnel will begin intervening at sea, with the aim of safeguarding lives.
Notably, the spokesperson excluded the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had earlier been reported as a possible technique to disable the engines of the vessels.
This determination to intervene at all is a major advancement, following a short-lived change towards a more aggressive approach this summer, which dropped off when the previous government official departed from office.
This was demonstrated in the summer month, in the run-up to a meeting between the Prime Minister and French president, when authorities were witnessed walking into the sea to slash the sides of a boat.
Currently French authorities will once more be permitted to stop boats prior to they collect migrant individuals from the beaches of France's north coast, although it's not clear how the small boats will be prevented.
Strong winds are currently postponing the commencement of intervention operations and the human trafficking gangs will be seeking methods to adapt to avoid interception, as they have done so often in the past.
The Home Office and Downing Street have been approached for comment.
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