French authorities will start stopping small boats in English Channel following British demands
France has agreed to start intercepting migrant vessels in the Channel, after months of insistence from the UK.
The change in policy comes after the British leader sent a letter to the President asking him to support the initiative and saying there currently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the Channel.
French maritime police will be allowed to stop the migrant vessels at sea, but exclusively prior to they've picked up their passengers, according to authoritative statements.
French police have rarely intervened to prevent the heavily loaded boats leaving the coastline because it is considered too great a danger to both personnel and civilians.
"It is essential that we deploy these methods this period... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel."
Currently, a French maritime police representative states personnel will begin intervening at sea, with the objective of protecting human life.
Notably, the official ruled out the use of nets to stop boats, which had previously been suggested as a potential method to disable the propellers of the boats.
The decision to take action at all is a significant advancement, coming after a short-lived change towards a stricter strategy this summer, which ceased when the previous government official departed from government.
This was demonstrated in the summer month, preceding a meeting between the UK leader and President, when authorities were witnessed walking into the sea to slash the sides of a boat.
Currently French officials will once more be permitted to intercept boats prior to they pick up asylum-seeking passengers from the beaches of France's north coast, although it's uncertain how the small boats will be prevented.
Strong winds are presently postponing the commencement of intervention operations and the human trafficking gangs will be seeking methods to adapt to evade interception, as they have frequently done in the past.
The Home Office and Downing Street have been approached for comment.
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