French authorities will start intercepting small boats in Channel following UK pressure
French officials have consented to start stopping migrant vessels in the English Channel, after months of pressure from the United Kingdom.
This policy shift follows the British leader wrote to the French leader asking him to back the initiative and saying there presently "lack any effective deterrent" in the Channel.
French security forces have been authorized to stop the migrant vessels at sea, but only before they've picked up their passengers, according to official confirmation.
French police have rarely acted to prevent the heavily loaded boats departing from the coastline because it is considered too great a risk to both personnel and civilians.
"It is crucial that we deploy these tactics this month... We have no effective deterrent in the Channel."
Currently, 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 nets to intercept boats, which had previously been reported as a possible method to disable the engines of the vessels.
The decision to intervene at all is a major step forward, coming after a brief shift towards a more aggressive strategy this warmer season, which dropped off when the former government official departed from government.
That was highlighted in the summer month, in the run-up to a summit between the Prime Minister and French president, when authorities were observed wading into the sea to damage the hulls of a vessel.
Currently French officials will once more be allowed to stop boats prior to they pick up migrant passengers from the coastal areas of northern France, however it's not clear how the vessels will be stopped.
Strong winds are presently delaying the start of intervention operations and the people-smuggling gangs will be looking for methods to adjust to avoid detection, as they have frequently done in the past.
The Home Office and Downing Street have been approached for comment.
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