French authorities will start intercepting small boats in Channel following UK pressure
France has agreed to start intercepting migrant vessels in the Channel, following months of pressure from the United Kingdom.
The change in policy follows the Prime Minister sent a letter to the President asking him to support the initiative and saying there currently "lack any effective deterrent" in the Channel.
French maritime police have been authorized to intercept the small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their migrants, according to official confirmation.
French police have rarely intervened to prevent the overcrowded boats departing from the shoreline because it is viewed as excessively high a risk to both officers and civilians.
"It is essential that we deploy these methods this month... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel."
Currently, a French naval police representative states officers will start taking action at sea, with the objective of safeguarding human life.
Notably, the official ruled out the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had previously been reported as a potential technique to disable the propellers of the vessels.
The decision to take action at all is a significant advancement, following a short-lived shift towards a more aggressive approach this warmer season, which dropped off when the former government official left office.
That was highlighted in the summer month, in the run-up to a summit between the Prime Minister and President, when French police were witnessed wading into the sea to slash the sides of a vessel.
Now French officials will again be allowed to stop boats prior to they pick up asylum-seeking individuals from the beaches of northern France, however it's uncertain how the small boats will be stopped.
Strong winds are presently postponing the commencement of intervention operations and the people-smuggling gangs will be looking for ways to adjust to avoid interception, as they have done so often in the previous instances.
UK immigration authorities and Downing Street have been contacted for comment.
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