French authorities to begin intercepting small boats in English Channel following UK pressure
French officials have consented to begin intercepting small boats in the English Channel, following an extended period of insistence from the UK.
This policy shift comes after the British leader wrote to the President urging him to support the initiative and saying there presently "lack any effective deterrent" in the maritime passage.
French maritime police will be allowed to stop the migrant vessels at sea, but only before they've picked up their passengers, according to official confirmation.
French police have rarely intervened to prevent the overcrowded boats departing from the shoreline because it is viewed as excessively high a risk to both officers and individuals.
"It is essential that we deploy these tactics this period... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel waters."
Now, a French maritime police spokesperson says officers will start intervening at sea, with the objective of protecting lives.
Notably, the official ruled out the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had earlier been suggested as a possible technique to snarl the propellers of the boats.
The decision to take action at all is a major advancement, coming after a brief change towards a more aggressive strategy this summer, which ceased when the previous Interior Minister left government.
This was demonstrated in July, in the run-up to a summit between the Prime Minister and French president, when French police were witnessed walking into the sea to slash the sides of a boat.
Currently French authorities will again be allowed to stop boats before they pick up migrant passengers from the beaches of France's north coast, however it's uncertain how the vessels will be stopped.
Powerful gusts are currently delaying the commencement of interceptions and the people-smuggling networks will be seeking ways to adjust to avoid detection, as they have frequently done in the previous instances.
UK immigration authorities and the Prime Minister's office have been contacted for comment.
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