French authorities to begin intercepting small boats in Channel after British demands
France has agreed to start intercepting migrant vessels in the Channel, after months of pressure from the UK.
The change in policy comes after the Prime Minister wrote to the President urging him to support the initiative and saying there currently "lack any effective deterrent" in the maritime passage.
French security forces will be allowed to stop the small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've picked up their migrants, according to official statements.
French authorities have rarely intervened to stop the overcrowded boats leaving the coastline because it is considered excessively high a risk to both officers and civilians.
"It is essential that we implement these tactics this month... We have no effective deterrent in the Channel waters."
Now, a French maritime police spokesperson says officers will start intervening at sea, with the aim of safeguarding human life.
Notably, the spokesperson ruled out the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had earlier been suggested as a potential method to snarl the engines of the vessels.
This determination to take action at all is a significant advancement, coming after a short-lived change towards a more aggressive approach this warmer season, which ceased when the previous Interior Minister left office.
That was highlighted in July, preceding a summit between the Prime Minister and President, when authorities were observed wading into the sea to slash the hulls of a vessel.
Currently French authorities will once more be allowed to stop boats prior to they collect asylum-seeking individuals from the beaches of France's north coast, although it's not clear how the vessels will be prevented.
Strong winds are presently delaying the commencement of intervention operations and the human trafficking networks will be seeking ways to adapt to avoid interception, as they have frequently done in the previous instances.
UK immigration authorities and Downing Street have been contacted for comment.
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