French authorities to begin intercepting small boats in English Channel following UK pressure
France has agreed to begin intercepting small boats in the English Channel, after months of insistence from the United Kingdom.
This policy shift comes after the Prime Minister wrote to the French leader asking him to support the plan and stating there currently "have no effective deterrent" in the Channel.
French security forces have been authorized to stop the small boats at sea, but only before they've collected their passengers, according to authoritative confirmation.
French police have rarely intervened to stop the overcrowded boats leaving the shoreline because it is viewed as excessively high a risk to both personnel and individuals.
"It is crucial that we deploy these methods this month... We have zero effective deterrent in the Channel waters."
Currently, a French maritime police spokesperson says officers will begin intervening at sea, with the aim of safeguarding human life.
Significantly, the official excluded the use of nets to stop boats, which had previously been reported as a potential method to snarl the engines of the vessels.
This determination to take action at all is a major step forward, coming after a brief shift towards a stricter strategy this warmer season, which ceased when the former Interior Minister departed from government.
This was demonstrated in the summer month, in the run-up to a meeting between the Prime Minister and President, when French police were witnessed wading into the sea to slash the sides of a boat.
Currently French authorities will once more be permitted to intercept boats prior to they pick up asylum-seeking individuals from the beaches of northern France, although it's not clear how the vessels will be stopped.
Strong winds are currently postponing the start of interceptions and the human trafficking gangs will be looking for methods to adjust to evade 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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