French authorities will start stopping small boats in Channel following British demands
France has agreed to start intercepting migrant vessels in the Channel, after months of pressure from the United Kingdom.
The change in policy comes after the Prime Minister wrote to the French leader asking him to back the initiative and saying there presently "have no effective deterrent" in the Channel.
French security forces will be allowed to stop the small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've picked up their migrants, according to official statements.
French police have infrequently intervened to stop the heavily loaded boats departing from the coastline because it is considered excessively high a risk to both officers and individuals.
"It is crucial that we implement these methods this period... We have zero effective deterrent in the Channel."
Now, a French naval police representative states personnel will begin taking action at sea, with the aim of protecting human life.
Notably, the official excluded the use of nets to intercept boats, which had previously been suggested as a possible method to snarl the propellers of the vessels.
This determination to intervene at all is a major step forward, following a short-lived shift towards a more aggressive strategy this warmer season, which ceased when the previous Interior Minister left government.
This was demonstrated in the summer month, in the run-up to a meeting between the UK leader and French president, when authorities were witnessed wading into the sea to damage the hulls of a vessel.
Now French authorities will again 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 prevented.
Powerful gusts are presently delaying the start of interceptions and the people-smuggling networks will be seeking ways to adapt to avoid interception, as they have done so often in the previous instances.
The Home Office and the Prime Minister's office have been approached for comment.
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