French authorities will start stopping small boats in Channel following UK pressure
French officials have consented to begin stopping small boats in the Channel, after months of insistence from the UK.
This policy shift follows the British leader wrote to the French leader asking him to support the plan and saying there currently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage.
French maritime police have been authorized to intercept the small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've picked up 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 deploy these methods this period... We have no effective prevention in the Channel waters."
Now, a French maritime police spokesperson states personnel will begin taking action at sea, with the aim of safeguarding lives.
Notably, the spokesperson ruled out the use of nets to intercept boats, which had previously been reported as a possible technique to disable the propellers of the boats.
The decision to take action at all is a major step forward, coming after a brief change towards a more aggressive approach this summer, which dropped off when the previous Interior Minister left office.
That was highlighted in the summer month, in the run-up to a summit between the Prime Minister and President, when French police were witnessed walking into the sea to slash the hulls of a boat.
Currently French officials will again be permitted to stop boats prior to they collect asylum-seeking passengers from the coastal areas of France's north coast, however it's uncertain how the small boats will be stopped.
Strong winds are presently delaying the commencement of interceptions and the people-smuggling gangs will be looking for methods to adapt to avoid detection, as they have frequently done in the previous instances.
The Home Office and Downing Street have been contacted for response.
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