France to begin intercepting small boats in Channel following UK pressure
France has agreed to start stopping small boats in the English Channel, after months of insistence from the United Kingdom.
The change in policy comes after the British leader sent a letter to the French leader urging him to support the initiative and stating there currently "lack any effective deterrent" in the maritime passage.
French security forces will be allowed to stop the small boats at sea, but only before they've collected their migrants, according to official confirmation.
French authorities have infrequently acted to stop the overcrowded boats leaving the shoreline because it is viewed as excessively high a danger to both officers and individuals.
"It is essential that we implement these tactics this month... We have no effective deterrent in the Channel waters."
Currently, a French naval police spokesperson says officers will begin taking action at sea, with the aim of safeguarding lives.
Significantly, the official ruled out the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had earlier been suggested as a possible method to snarl the engines of the vessels.
This determination to intervene at all is a major step forward, following a brief change towards a stricter strategy this warmer season, which dropped off when the previous government official departed from office.
That was highlighted in the summer month, in the run-up to a meeting between the UK leader and French president, when authorities were witnessed walking into the sea to slash the hulls of a boat.
Now French authorities will again be allowed to intercept boats before they pick up migrant passengers from the beaches of France's north coast, although it's not clear how the small boats will be prevented.
Strong winds are presently postponing the start of interceptions and the human trafficking gangs will be looking for methods to adapt to evade interception, as they have frequently done in the previous instances.
The Home Office and Downing Street have been approached for response.
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