French authorities to begin intercepting small boats in Channel following UK pressure
French officials have consented to begin stopping small boats in the English Channel, following an extended period of insistence from the UK.
The change in policy follows the Prime Minister wrote to the French leader urging him to support the plan and stating there currently "lack any effective deterrent" in the Channel.
French security forces have been authorized to stop the small boats at sea, but only before they've picked up their migrants, according to official statements.
French police have rarely intervened to stop the overcrowded boats departing from the shoreline because it is viewed as excessively high a risk to both personnel and civilians.
"It is crucial that we deploy these methods this period... We have no effective prevention in the Channel waters."
Now, a French maritime police representative says personnel will begin intervening at sea, with the objective of protecting human life.
Significantly, the official excluded the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had previously been reported as a possible technique to snarl the propellers of the boats.
The decision to intervene at all is a major step forward, following a brief shift towards a more aggressive strategy this summer, which dropped off when the previous government official left government.
This was demonstrated in July, preceding a summit between the Prime Minister and French president, when French police were observed walking into the sea to slash the sides of a vessel.
Now French authorities will again be permitted to stop boats prior to they collect migrant passengers from the beaches of France's north coast, however it's not clear how the small boats will be prevented.
Powerful gusts are presently delaying the commencement of interceptions and the people-smuggling networks will be seeking methods to adapt to avoid detection, as they have frequently done in the past.
The Home Office and Downing Street have been approached for response.
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