France to begin stopping small boats in Channel after British demands
France has agreed to begin stopping small boats in the English Channel, after 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 plan and saying there presently "have no effective preventive measure" in the Channel.
French security forces will be allowed to stop the migrant vessels at sea, but only before they've collected their migrants, according to official confirmation.
French police have infrequently acted to stop the heavily loaded boats departing from the shoreline because it is considered too great a risk to both personnel and individuals.
"It is essential that we implement these tactics this period... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel waters."
Currently, a French maritime police representative states officers will start taking action at sea, with the aim of safeguarding lives.
Significantly, the official excluded the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had earlier been suggested as a possible method to snarl the engines of the boats.
The decision to intervene at all is a major advancement, following a brief shift towards a stricter strategy this warmer season, which dropped off when the previous government official departed from office.
That was highlighted in July, preceding a meeting between the UK leader and President, when authorities were witnessed wading into the sea to slash the hulls of a vessel.
Now French authorities will once more be permitted to stop boats prior to they pick up migrant individuals from the coastal areas of northern France, although it's uncertain how the small boats will be prevented.
Strong winds are currently delaying the start of interceptions and the human trafficking networks will be looking for ways to adapt to avoid detection, as they have frequently done in the past.
The Home Office and the Prime Minister's office have been contacted for comment.
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