French authorities will start stopping small boats in English Channel after British demands
French officials have consented to begin stopping small boats in the English Channel, after months of insistence from the UK.
This policy shift comes after the British leader sent a letter to the President urging him to support the initiative and stating there currently "lack any effective deterrent" in the maritime passage.
French maritime police will be allowed to intercept the small boats at sea, but only before they've picked up their passengers, according to authoritative statements.
French police have infrequently intervened to stop the overcrowded boats departing from the coastline because it is viewed as excessively high a risk to both officers and civilians.
"It is essential that we implement these methods this period... We have no effective prevention in the Channel waters."
Now, a French naval police spokesperson says officers will begin intervening at sea, with the objective of protecting human life.
Significantly, the spokesperson excluded the use of entanglement devices 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, following a brief shift towards a stricter strategy this warmer season, which dropped off when the former government official departed from government.
This was demonstrated in July, preceding a summit between the UK leader and President, when authorities were witnessed walking into the sea to damage the sides of a vessel.
Currently French officials will again be allowed to intercept boats prior to they collect asylum-seeking passengers from the beaches of France's north coast, although it's not clear how the vessels will be stopped.
Strong winds are currently delaying the start of intervention operations and the human trafficking gangs will be looking for ways to adjust to avoid interception, as they have done so often in the previous instances.
UK immigration authorities and Downing Street have been contacted for response.
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