France will start intercepting small boats in English Channel following British demands
France has agreed to begin intercepting small boats in the Channel, after an extended period of pressure from the United Kingdom.
The change in policy follows the Prime Minister wrote to the French leader asking him to support the plan and saying there presently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the Channel.
French security forces have been authorized to intercept the small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their passengers, according to official confirmation.
French police have infrequently intervened to stop the heavily loaded boats leaving the coastline because it is considered excessively high a risk to both officers and civilians.
"It is crucial that we deploy these tactics this month... We have no effective deterrent in the Channel waters."
Now, a French maritime police spokesperson states officers will start taking action at sea, with the objective of protecting lives.
Significantly, the official excluded the use of entanglement devices to intercept boats, which had earlier been reported as a possible technique to disable the engines of the boats.
This determination to intervene at all is a major advancement, following a brief change towards a more aggressive strategy this summer, which ceased when the previous Interior Minister left office.
This was demonstrated in July, in the run-up to a summit between the Prime Minister and President, when French police were observed wading into the sea to damage the hulls of a boat.
Currently French authorities will once more be permitted to stop boats before they pick up migrant individuals from the beaches of France's north coast, although it's uncertain how the vessels will be stopped.
Strong winds are presently postponing the commencement of intervention operations and the people-smuggling gangs will be seeking methods to adjust to avoid interception, as they have done so often in the past.
UK immigration authorities and Downing Street have been approached for response.
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