France will start stopping small boats in English Channel following British demands
France has agreed to begin intercepting migrant vessels in the English Channel, following months of insistence from the UK.
This policy shift follows the Prime Minister sent a letter to the French leader urging him to back the plan and stating there presently "lack any effective deterrent" in the maritime passage.
French security forces will be allowed to stop the migrant vessels at sea, but only before they've collected their migrants, according to official statements.
French authorities have infrequently intervened to prevent the overcrowded boats leaving the coastline because it is viewed as too great a danger to both personnel and civilians.
"It is crucial that we deploy these tactics this period... We have zero effective deterrent in the Channel."
Now, a French naval police spokesperson states officers will start taking action at sea, with the aim of safeguarding human life.
Notably, the official excluded the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had previously been reported as a possible method to snarl the engines of the vessels.
This determination to intervene at all is a significant advancement, coming after a short-lived shift towards a more aggressive approach this summer, which dropped off when the previous Interior Minister left office.
This was demonstrated in July, in the run-up to a meeting between the Prime Minister and French president, when French police were observed walking into the sea to damage the sides of a boat.
Currently French authorities will again be permitted to stop boats prior to they pick up migrant passengers from the beaches of northern France, although it's uncertain how the small boats will be prevented.
Strong winds are currently postponing the commencement of interceptions and the people-smuggling networks will be seeking ways to adjust to avoid interception, as they have frequently done in the past.
The Home Office and the Prime Minister's office have been contacted for response.
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