France to begin intercepting small boats in Channel after British demands
France has agreed to start stopping migrant vessels in the English Channel, after months of insistence from the United Kingdom.
This policy shift follows the Prime Minister wrote to the President urging him to back the initiative and saying there currently "lack any effective deterrent" in the maritime passage.
French maritime police will be allowed to intercept the small boats at sea, but only before they've collected their passengers, according to authoritative statements.
French police have rarely acted to stop the heavily loaded boats leaving the coastline because it is considered too great a danger to both officers and individuals.
"It is essential that we implement these methods this period... We have zero effective deterrent in the Channel waters."
Currently, a French maritime police representative states officers will begin taking action at sea, with the objective of protecting lives.
Notably, the official ruled out the use of nets to stop boats, which had earlier been reported as a potential method to disable the propellers of the boats.
This determination to take action at all is a major advancement, following a brief change towards a more aggressive strategy this warmer season, which ceased when the former Interior Minister departed from office.
That was highlighted in the summer month, in the run-up to a meeting between the UK leader and French president, when authorities were witnessed walking into the sea to damage the hulls of a vessel.
Currently French authorities will again be allowed to stop boats before they pick up asylum-seeking passengers from the beaches of northern France, however it's not clear how the vessels will be stopped.
Strong winds are currently postponing the commencement of intervention operations and the people-smuggling gangs will be seeking ways to adjust to avoid detection, as they have done so often in the previous instances.
The Home Office and the Prime Minister's office have been contacted for response.
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