France to begin intercepting small boats in Channel following UK pressure
France has agreed to start stopping small boats in the English Channel, following months of insistence from the UK.
This policy shift follows the Prime Minister wrote to the French leader asking him to support the initiative and stating there presently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage.
French security forces have been authorized to intercept the small boats at sea, but only before they've picked up their passengers, according to official statements.
French police have infrequently intervened to prevent the heavily loaded boats departing from the coastline because it is considered excessively high a danger to both personnel and individuals.
"It is essential that we implement these methods this period... We have zero effective deterrent in the Channel."
Now, a French maritime police representative says officers will begin intervening at sea, with the aim of safeguarding lives.
Notably, the spokesperson ruled out the use of nets to stop boats, which had earlier been suggested as a possible technique to snarl the propellers of the vessels.
This determination to intervene at all is a major step forward, coming after a brief change towards a more aggressive approach this summer, which dropped off when the former government official left government.
That was highlighted in July, preceding a summit between the UK leader and French president, when authorities were witnessed walking into the sea to slash the hulls of a boat.
Currently French officials will again be permitted to stop boats before they collect migrant individuals from the coastal areas of northern France, however it's not clear how the small boats will be prevented.
Strong winds are currently postponing the start of intervention operations and the people-smuggling networks will be looking for ways to adapt to evade detection, as they have frequently done in the previous instances.
UK immigration authorities and the Prime Minister's office have been approached for comment.
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