France will start intercepting migrant vessels in Channel after UK pressure
France has agreed to start stopping small boats in the Channel, following an extended period of pressure from the UK.
This policy shift comes after the Prime Minister sent a letter to the French leader asking him to back the plan and stating there presently "lack any effective deterrent" in the maritime passage.
French security forces have been authorized to intercept the small boats at sea, but only before they've picked up their passengers, according to authoritative statements.
French police have rarely acted to stop the heavily loaded boats departing from the shoreline because it is viewed as too great a risk to both personnel and individuals.
"It is crucial that we implement these tactics this period... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel."
Now, a French maritime police spokesperson says personnel will begin taking action at sea, with the aim of safeguarding lives.
Significantly, the spokesperson ruled out the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had previously been reported as a potential technique to disable the engines of the boats.
This determination to intervene at all is a significant step forward, following a brief change towards a stricter approach this summer, which ceased when the former Interior Minister departed from government.
This was demonstrated in the summer month, in the run-up to a summit between the UK leader and French president, when French police were witnessed wading into the sea to slash the hulls of a vessel.
Now French authorities will once more be allowed to intercept boats before they pick up asylum-seeking passengers from the beaches of northern France, although it's uncertain how the vessels will be stopped.
Powerful gusts are currently delaying the commencement of interceptions and the people-smuggling gangs will be seeking ways to adapt to evade detection, as they have frequently done in the past.
The Home Office and Downing Street have been contacted for response.
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