French authorities will start stopping small boats in Channel following UK pressure
French officials have consented to start stopping migrant vessels in the English Channel, after an extended period of insistence from the UK.
The change in policy follows the Prime Minister wrote to the French leader asking him to back the plan and saying there presently "have no effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage.
French maritime police will be allowed to stop the small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've picked up their migrants, according to authoritative statements.
French police have infrequently acted to prevent the heavily loaded boats leaving the coastline because it is considered too great a danger to both officers and individuals.
"It is essential that we implement these methods this period... We have no effective deterrent in the Channel waters."
Currently, a French naval police representative states personnel will start taking action at sea, with the aim of safeguarding human life.
Significantly, the spokesperson ruled out the use of nets to stop boats, which had previously been suggested as a possible method to snarl the engines of the boats.
The decision to intervene at all is a major step forward, following a brief shift towards a stricter approach this warmer season, which ceased when the former Interior Minister departed from office.
That was highlighted in the summer month, in the run-up to a summit between the Prime Minister and French president, when French police were witnessed wading into the sea to damage the hulls of a boat.
Currently French officials will again be allowed to stop boats before they pick up migrant passengers from the beaches of France's north coast, although it's not clear how the vessels will be prevented.
Powerful gusts are currently postponing the start of interceptions and the human trafficking gangs will be looking for ways to adjust to evade detection, as they have frequently done in the previous instances.
The Home Office and the Prime Minister's office have been contacted for response.
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