France to begin intercepting small boats in English Channel following UK pressure
France has agreed to begin intercepting migrant vessels in the English Channel, after an extended period of insistence from the UK.
The change in policy comes after the Prime Minister sent a letter to the French leader asking him to back the initiative and saying there presently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the Channel.
French maritime police have been authorized to stop the small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their passengers, according to official confirmation.
French authorities have rarely intervened to stop the heavily loaded boats departing from the coastline because it is considered excessively high a risk to both personnel and individuals.
"It is essential that we implement these methods this period... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel."
Currently, a French maritime police representative says personnel will begin intervening at sea, with the aim of safeguarding lives.
Notably, the spokesperson ruled out the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had previously been reported as a possible method to disable the propellers of the vessels.
The decision to take action at all is a significant step forward, coming after a brief shift towards a stricter 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 Prime Minister and President, when authorities were observed wading into the sea to slash the hulls of a vessel.
Currently French authorities will again be permitted to intercept boats before they pick up migrant passengers from the beaches of northern France, although 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 ways to adapt to evade interception, as they have frequently done in the past.
The Home Office and the Prime Minister's office have been contacted for comment.
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