France will start stopping small boats in Channel following UK pressure
French officials have consented to start stopping small boats in the Channel, following an extended period of pressure from the United Kingdom.
The change in policy follows the British leader wrote to the President asking him to back the initiative and saying there currently "have no effective preventive measure" in the Channel.
French security forces will be allowed to stop the small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've picked up their passengers, according to official statements.
French police have infrequently intervened to prevent the heavily loaded boats leaving the coastline because it is considered excessively high a risk to both officers and individuals.
"It is crucial that we implement these methods this month... We have no effective prevention in the Channel waters."
Currently, a French maritime police spokesperson states personnel will start intervening at sea, with the aim of protecting lives.
Significantly, the spokesperson ruled out the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had earlier been suggested as a potential method to disable the engines of the vessels.
This determination to intervene at all is a major step forward, coming after a brief change towards a more aggressive strategy this warmer season, which ceased when the former Interior Minister departed from office.
This was demonstrated in the summer month, preceding a summit between the UK leader and French president, when French police were observed walking into the sea to damage the sides of a vessel.
Currently French officials will once more be allowed to intercept boats before they collect asylum-seeking passengers from the beaches of France's north coast, however it's not clear how the vessels will be prevented.
Strong winds are presently delaying the start of interceptions and the people-smuggling networks will be seeking methods to adapt to avoid detection, as they have frequently done in the previous instances.
UK immigration authorities and Downing Street have been approached for response.
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