France will start stopping small boats in English Channel following British demands
France has agreed to begin intercepting migrant vessels in the Channel, after months of pressure from the United Kingdom.
This policy shift follows the Prime Minister wrote to the French leader urging him to support the plan and saying there presently "lack any effective deterrent" in the Channel.
French security forces have been authorized to stop the small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their migrants, according to official confirmation.
French authorities have rarely acted to prevent the overcrowded boats departing from the coastline because it is viewed as too great a risk to both personnel and civilians.
"It is essential that we deploy these methods this month... We have zero effective deterrent in the Channel."
Currently, a French naval police representative states officers will start taking action at sea, with the aim of safeguarding human life.
Significantly, the official ruled out the use of nets to intercept boats, which had previously been suggested as a possible method to snarl the engines of the boats.
This determination to intervene at all is a major step forward, coming after a short-lived shift towards a more aggressive strategy this warmer season, which ceased when the previous Interior Minister left government.
That was highlighted in the summer month, preceding a meeting between the Prime Minister and President, when French police were observed wading into the sea to slash the sides of a vessel.
Currently French officials will again be permitted to stop boats before they pick up migrant individuals from the coastal areas of France's north coast, however it's uncertain how the vessels will be stopped.
Strong winds are presently postponing the start of intervention operations and the human trafficking gangs will be looking for ways to adjust to avoid detection, as they have done so often in the previous instances.
The Home Office and the Prime Minister's office have been contacted for comment.
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