France to begin intercepting small boats in Channel after UK pressure
France has agreed to start intercepting small boats in the English Channel, after months of insistence from the United Kingdom.
This policy shift comes after the Prime Minister sent a letter to the President urging him to back the plan and saying there presently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the Channel.
French maritime police will be allowed to stop the small boats at sea, but only before they've collected their migrants, according to official confirmation.
French police have infrequently intervened to prevent the heavily loaded boats departing from the shoreline because it is viewed as excessively high a risk to both officers and civilians.
"It is crucial that we deploy these methods this period... We have no effective deterrent in the Channel waters."
Currently, a French naval police spokesperson says officers will begin intervening at sea, with the objective of safeguarding lives.
Notably, the official excluded the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had earlier been reported as a possible method to disable the engines of the vessels.
This determination to take action at all is a major step forward, following a brief change towards a stricter approach this warmer season, which ceased when the previous government official departed from government.
That was highlighted in July, preceding a meeting between the UK leader and President, when authorities were witnessed walking into the sea to slash the hulls of a vessel.
Now French authorities will again be allowed to intercept boats before they pick up migrant passengers from the beaches of northern France, however it's not clear how the vessels will be stopped.
Strong winds are currently delaying the commencement of intervention operations and the people-smuggling gangs will be looking for methods to adjust to evade interception, as they have done so often in the past.
The Home Office and Downing Street have been contacted for comment.
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