French authorities to begin intercepting small boats in Channel following UK pressure
France has agreed to start stopping small boats in the Channel, following an extended period of pressure from the United Kingdom.
This policy shift follows the Prime Minister sent a letter to the President asking him to support the plan and saying there currently "have no effective preventive measure" in the Channel.
French maritime police will be allowed to intercept the small boats at sea, but only before they've collected their passengers, according to authoritative confirmation.
French authorities have rarely intervened to prevent the heavily loaded boats leaving the shoreline because it is viewed as too great a danger to both officers and individuals.
"It is essential that we deploy these tactics this month... We have no effective prevention in the Channel waters."
Currently, a French naval police representative states officers will begin intervening at sea, with the aim of protecting lives.
Notably, the official ruled out the use of entanglement devices to intercept boats, which had previously been suggested as a potential technique to snarl the engines of the vessels.
The decision to intervene at all is a significant step forward, following a brief shift towards a more aggressive approach this summer, which ceased when the former government official departed from office.
That was highlighted in July, preceding a summit between the UK leader and President, when French police were observed walking into the sea to damage the hulls of a boat.
Currently French officials will once more be allowed to intercept boats before they pick up migrant individuals from the beaches of France's north coast, although it's not clear how the small boats will be prevented.
Strong winds are presently delaying the start of intervention operations and the people-smuggling gangs will be looking for ways to adjust to avoid interception, as they have frequently done in the past.
UK immigration authorities and Downing Street have been contacted for response.
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