France to begin stopping small boats in English Channel after UK pressure
France has agreed to begin intercepting small boats in the Channel, following months of insistence from the UK.
This policy shift comes after the British leader sent a letter to the French leader asking him to support the initiative and saying there presently "lack any effective deterrent" in the maritime passage.
French maritime police will be allowed to intercept the migrant vessels at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their migrants, according to official confirmation.
French authorities have rarely intervened to prevent the overcrowded boats leaving the shoreline because it is viewed as too great a danger to both personnel and individuals.
"It is essential that we implement these tactics this month... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel."
Currently, a French maritime police spokesperson says personnel will start taking action at sea, with the objective of protecting lives.
Significantly, the spokesperson excluded the use of nets to intercept boats, which had previously been suggested as a potential method to disable the propellers of the vessels.
The decision to intervene at all is a significant advancement, following a brief change towards a more aggressive strategy this summer, which ceased when the former Interior Minister left office.
This was demonstrated 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 damage the sides of a boat.
Now French authorities will again be allowed to intercept boats before they collect migrant individuals from the beaches of northern France, however it's uncertain how the small boats will be stopped.
Strong winds are presently delaying the start of interceptions and the people-smuggling gangs will be seeking ways to adapt to avoid detection, as they have frequently done in the previous instances.
The Home Office and the Prime Minister's office have been contacted for response.
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