France will start stopping small boats in Channel after UK pressure
French officials have consented to begin intercepting small boats in the English Channel, after an extended period of pressure from the UK.
This policy shift follows the Prime Minister sent a letter to the French leader asking him to support the plan and stating there currently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the Channel.
French security forces will be allowed to stop the small boats at sea, but only before they've collected their migrants, according to authoritative confirmation.
French police have infrequently acted to stop the overcrowded boats leaving the shoreline because it is considered too great a danger to both officers and civilians.
"It is essential that we implement these methods this month... We have no effective prevention in the Channel waters."
Now, a French maritime police representative states officers will begin taking action at sea, with the objective of safeguarding human life.
Notably, the official excluded the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had earlier been suggested as a potential technique to disable the propellers of the vessels.
This determination to take action at all is a significant advancement, following a brief change towards a stricter strategy this warmer season, which dropped off when the previous government official departed from office.
This was demonstrated in July, preceding a summit between the UK leader and French president, when French police were witnessed walking into the sea to slash the hulls of a vessel.
Now French officials will once more be allowed to intercept boats before they collect asylum-seeking individuals from the coastal areas of northern France, although it's uncertain how the vessels will be stopped.
Strong winds are presently postponing the start of interceptions and the people-smuggling gangs will be seeking methods to adjust to avoid interception, as they have frequently done in the previous instances.
The Home Office and the Prime Minister's office have been contacted for comment.
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