French authorities will start intercepting small boats in English Channel after UK pressure
France has agreed to start intercepting small boats in the Channel, following months of insistence from the United Kingdom.
This policy shift comes after the Prime Minister sent a letter to the President urging him to back the plan 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 migrants, according to official confirmation.
French authorities have rarely acted to stop the heavily loaded boats leaving the coastline because it is viewed as excessively high a risk to both officers and individuals.
"It is crucial that we implement these tactics this period... We have zero effective deterrent in the Channel waters."
Now, a French maritime police spokesperson states personnel will start taking action at sea, with the objective of protecting human life.
Notably, the official excluded the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had earlier been suggested as a potential technique to snarl the engines of the boats.
This determination to intervene at all is a major advancement, coming after a brief shift towards a more aggressive strategy this summer, which ceased when the previous government official left government.
That was highlighted in July, preceding a meeting between the UK leader and French president, when authorities were observed wading into the sea to damage the sides of a vessel.
Now French officials will once more be permitted to intercept boats prior to they pick up migrant individuals from the coastal areas of France's north coast, although it's uncertain how the vessels will be stopped.
Strong winds are currently delaying the commencement of intervention operations and the human trafficking gangs will be looking for methods to adjust to evade detection, as they have done so often in the past.
The Home Office and the Prime Minister's office have been contacted for comment.
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