France to begin stopping small boats in Channel following British demands
France has agreed to begin stopping migrant vessels in the Channel, following an extended period of pressure from the United Kingdom.
This policy shift follows the Prime Minister sent a letter to the President urging him to support the initiative and stating there presently "have no effective preventive measure" in the Channel.
French security forces have been authorized to intercept the small boats at sea, but only before they've collected their migrants, according to official statements.
French authorities have rarely acted to stop the heavily loaded boats departing from the coastline because it is viewed as too great a risk to both officers and individuals.
"It is essential that we deploy these methods this month... We have zero effective deterrent in the Channel."
Now, a French maritime police representative states personnel will begin intervening at sea, with the aim of safeguarding human life.
Notably, the official excluded the use of entanglement devices to intercept boats, which had previously been reported as a potential method to snarl the engines of the boats.
This determination to intervene at all is a major step forward, coming after a brief change towards a more aggressive strategy this summer, which dropped off when the former government official departed from government.
This was demonstrated in the summer month, in the run-up to a meeting between the UK leader and French president, when French police were witnessed walking into the sea to slash the sides of a boat.
Currently French authorities will again be allowed to intercept boats before they collect asylum-seeking passengers from the beaches of France's north coast, however it's uncertain how the vessels will be stopped.
Powerful gusts are currently postponing the commencement of intervention operations and the people-smuggling gangs will be looking for ways to adapt to evade interception, as they have done so often in the previous instances.
The Home Office and Downing Street have been approached for comment.
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UK immigration
Channel crossings
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