French authorities will start stopping small boats in English Channel after British demands
France has agreed to start stopping small boats in the English Channel, after months of insistence from the United Kingdom.
The change in policy comes after the Prime Minister sent a letter to the President urging him to back the plan and stating there presently "have no effective deterrent" in the maritime passage.
French security forces have been authorized to stop the small boats at sea, but only before they've collected their passengers, according to authoritative statements.
French authorities have rarely intervened to prevent the heavily loaded boats leaving the shoreline because it is viewed as too great a risk to both officers and individuals.
"It is crucial that we implement these tactics this period... We have no effective prevention in the Channel waters."
Now, a French naval police representative states personnel will begin taking action at sea, with the aim of safeguarding human life.
Significantly, the official ruled out the use of nets to stop boats, which had previously been reported as a potential method to disable the propellers of the vessels.
This determination to intervene at all is a major advancement, coming after a short-lived change towards a more aggressive strategy this summer, which ceased when the previous government official departed from office.
This was demonstrated in the summer month, preceding a meeting between the UK leader and President, when French police were observed wading into the sea to slash the hulls of a vessel.
Now French authorities will again be permitted to intercept boats prior to they collect migrant passengers from the beaches of France's north coast, although it's not clear how the vessels will be prevented.
Strong winds are presently postponing the commencement of intervention operations and the people-smuggling gangs will be seeking methods to adapt to evade detection, as they have done so often in the previous instances.
The Home Office and the Prime Minister's office have been approached for comment.
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