France to begin intercepting small boats in Channel following British demands
France has agreed to start intercepting migrant vessels in the English Channel, following an extended period of pressure from the UK.
The change in policy follows the British leader wrote to the French leader urging him to back the plan and saying there currently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage.
French maritime police will be allowed to stop the migrant vessels at sea, but only before they've picked up their passengers, according to authoritative confirmation.
French authorities have rarely acted to stop the overcrowded boats departing from the coastline because it is considered too great a danger to both personnel and civilians.
"It is essential that we deploy these methods this month... We have zero effective deterrent in the Channel."
Now, a French naval police representative states officers will start taking action at sea, with the aim of protecting lives.
Notably, the official ruled out the use of nets to intercept boats, which had previously been reported as a possible method to snarl the propellers of the vessels.
This determination to intervene at all is a major step forward, following a brief shift towards a more aggressive approach this summer, which dropped off when the previous Interior Minister left government.
That was highlighted in July, in the run-up to a meeting between the UK leader and French president, when authorities were observed wading into the sea to slash the sides of a vessel.
Currently French authorities will once more be permitted to intercept boats before they pick up migrant passengers from the beaches of France's north coast, although it's not clear how the small boats will be stopped.
Powerful gusts are presently delaying the commencement of intervention operations and the human trafficking networks will be looking for ways to adapt to avoid detection, as they have frequently done in the past.
The Home Office and Downing Street have been approached for comment.
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