France to begin intercepting small boats in English Channel following British demands
France has agreed to begin stopping small boats in the English Channel, following months of insistence from the United Kingdom.
This policy shift follows the British leader wrote to the French leader urging him to support the plan and saying there presently "lack any effective deterrent" in the Channel.
French maritime police will be allowed to stop the small boats at sea, but only before they've picked up their migrants, according to official confirmation.
French police have infrequently intervened to prevent the overcrowded boats departing from the coastline because it is considered excessively high a risk to both personnel and civilians.
"It is essential that we deploy these methods this month... We have zero effective deterrent in the Channel."
Currently, a French naval police spokesperson states officers will begin intervening at sea, with the objective of safeguarding human life.
Significantly, the official excluded the use of nets to stop boats, which had previously been reported as a possible method to disable the propellers of the vessels.
The decision to intervene at all is a major advancement, coming after a brief shift towards a stricter strategy this summer, which ceased when the former government official departed from office.
This was demonstrated in July, in the run-up to a meeting between the Prime Minister and President, when authorities were witnessed walking into the sea to damage the sides of a vessel.
Now French authorities will again be permitted to stop boats before they pick up migrant passengers from the coastal areas of northern France, although it's uncertain how the small boats will be stopped.
Strong winds are presently postponing the commencement of intervention operations and the people-smuggling networks will be seeking methods to adapt to avoid interception, as they have frequently done in the previous instances.
UK immigration authorities and the Prime Minister's office have been approached for response.
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