France will start stopping small boats in Channel after UK pressure
France has agreed to begin stopping migrant vessels in the 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 back the initiative and stating there presently "lack any effective deterrent" in the maritime passage.
French maritime police will be allowed to intercept the small boats at sea, but only before they've collected their migrants, according to authoritative statements.
French authorities have rarely acted to stop the heavily loaded boats leaving the shoreline because it is viewed as excessively high a risk to both personnel and individuals.
"It is crucial that we implement these tactics this period... We have zero effective deterrent in the Channel waters."
Currently, a French maritime police spokesperson says officers will start taking action at sea, with the aim of safeguarding lives.
Significantly, the official excluded the use of entanglement devices to intercept boats, which had earlier been suggested as a possible technique to snarl the propellers of the boats.
This determination to intervene at all is a major advancement, following a brief change towards a stricter approach this summer, which ceased when the former government official departed from office.
That was highlighted in the summer month, preceding a meeting between the UK leader and French president, when French police were observed wading into the sea to slash the sides of a vessel.
Now French officials will again be permitted to intercept boats prior to they collect migrant passengers from the coastal areas of northern France, however it's not clear how the vessels will be prevented.
Strong winds are currently postponing the commencement of intervention operations and the people-smuggling networks will be looking for ways to adjust to avoid interception, as they have frequently done in the past.
UK immigration authorities and Downing Street have been approached for comment.
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