French authorities to begin intercepting small boats in English Channel after British demands
French officials have consented to start stopping small boats in the English Channel, after months of insistence from the UK.
The change in policy follows the Prime Minister sent a letter to the French leader asking him to back the initiative and stating there currently "lack any effective deterrent" in the Channel.
French security forces will be allowed to stop the small boats at sea, but only before they've collected their passengers, according to official confirmation.
French authorities have rarely intervened to prevent the overcrowded boats leaving the shoreline because it is viewed as excessively high a danger to both personnel and civilians.
"It is essential that we implement these tactics this month... We have zero effective deterrent in the Channel waters."
Currently, a French maritime police spokesperson says personnel will begin intervening at sea, with the objective of safeguarding lives.
Notably, the spokesperson ruled out the use of nets to stop boats, which had earlier been reported as a possible method to disable the engines of the boats.
The decision to intervene at all is a significant step forward, coming after a short-lived change towards a stricter approach this summer, which dropped off when the previous Interior Minister left government.
That was highlighted in the summer month, in the run-up to a summit between the UK leader and President, when French police were witnessed wading into the sea to slash the sides of a boat.
Currently French officials will again be allowed to intercept boats prior to they pick up migrant passengers from the coastal areas of northern France, however it's uncertain how the small boats will be prevented.
Powerful gusts are presently delaying the commencement of intervention operations and the people-smuggling networks will be looking for methods to adjust to evade interception, as they have done so often in the previous instances.
The Home Office and Downing Street have been contacted for comment.
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