French authorities will start stopping small boats in Channel following UK pressure
France has agreed to start intercepting migrant vessels in the Channel, following an extended period of insistence from the UK.
The change in policy follows the Prime Minister sent a letter to the President asking him to back the initiative and stating there currently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the Channel.
French maritime police will be allowed to intercept the small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've picked up their passengers, according to official confirmation.
French authorities have rarely intervened to prevent the heavily loaded boats leaving the shoreline because it is considered too great a risk to both officers and civilians.
"It is essential that we implement these methods this month... We have no effective deterrent in the Channel."
Currently, a French maritime police representative says officers will begin taking action at sea, with the aim of safeguarding lives.
Notably, the official excluded the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had previously been suggested as a potential technique to disable the engines of the vessels.
The decision to intervene at all is a major advancement, coming after a brief change towards a more aggressive approach this warmer season, which ceased when the previous government official departed from government.
That was highlighted in the summer month, in the run-up to a summit between the UK leader and French president, when authorities were observed wading into the sea to slash the sides of a boat.
Now French officials will again be permitted to stop boats before they collect asylum-seeking individuals from the beaches of northern France, however it's uncertain how the small boats will be prevented.
Strong winds are presently delaying the commencement of intervention operations and the human trafficking networks will be seeking methods to adapt to evade detection, as they have done so often in the past.
The Home Office and Downing Street have been approached for comment.
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