French authorities will start stopping small boats in Channel following UK pressure
French officials have consented to start intercepting migrant vessels in the Channel, after months of insistence from the UK.
The change in policy comes after the British leader sent a letter to the French leader urging him to back the initiative and stating there currently "lack any effective deterrent" in the Channel.
French maritime police will be allowed to intercept the small boats at sea, but only before they've collected their migrants, according to authoritative statements.
French authorities have infrequently acted to prevent the overcrowded boats departing from the coastline because it is considered too great a risk to both officers and civilians.
"It is essential that we deploy these methods this period... We have zero effective deterrent in the Channel."
Now, a French maritime police spokesperson says officers will begin intervening at sea, with the aim of safeguarding lives.
Significantly, the official ruled out the use of entanglement devices to intercept boats, which had earlier been reported as a possible technique to disable the propellers of the boats.
The decision to intervene at all is a significant step forward, following a short-lived shift towards a stricter approach this summer, which ceased when the former Interior Minister departed from office.
This was demonstrated in the summer month, in the run-up to a summit between the UK leader and French president, when authorities were observed walking into the sea to slash the hulls of a vessel.
Currently French authorities will again be allowed to intercept boats before they pick up migrant passengers from the beaches of northern France, however it's uncertain how the vessels will be prevented.
Strong winds are presently delaying the start of intervention operations and the people-smuggling gangs will be looking for methods to adapt to avoid interception, as they have done so often in the past.
UK immigration authorities and Downing Street have been contacted for response.
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