French authorities to begin intercepting small boats in English Channel following British demands
French officials have consented to start stopping small boats in the Channel, after months of pressure from the UK.
The change in policy comes after the Prime Minister wrote to the French leader urging him to back the plan and stating there currently "have no effective deterrent" in the Channel.
French security forces will be allowed to stop the migrant vessels at sea, but only before they've picked up their migrants, according to official statements.
French police have infrequently intervened to prevent the overcrowded boats departing from the shoreline because it is considered excessively high a risk to both officers and civilians.
"It is crucial that we implement these methods this period... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel."
Currently, a French naval police spokesperson says personnel will begin taking action at sea, with the objective of protecting lives.
Significantly, the spokesperson ruled out the use of nets to stop boats, which had previously been reported as a potential method to snarl the propellers of the boats.
The decision to take action at all is a major advancement, following a brief shift towards a stricter strategy this summer, which ceased when the previous government official departed from office.
This was demonstrated in July, preceding a summit between the Prime Minister and French president, when authorities were witnessed walking into the sea to damage the sides of a boat.
Currently French authorities will once more be allowed to intercept boats before they collect asylum-seeking individuals from the beaches of France's north coast, although it's uncertain how the small boats will be stopped.
Strong winds are currently postponing the start of intervention operations 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 Downing Street have been contacted for comment.
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