France to begin intercepting migrant vessels in Channel after UK pressure
French officials have consented to start stopping small boats in the English Channel, following an extended period of insistence from the UK.
The change in policy follows the Prime Minister wrote to the French leader urging him to back the initiative and saying there currently "have no effective deterrent" in the Channel.
French security forces will be allowed to stop the small boats at sea, but only before they've picked up their passengers, according to authoritative confirmation.
French authorities have infrequently acted to prevent the overcrowded boats leaving the coastline because it is considered too great a danger 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 naval police representative says personnel will start taking action at sea, with the objective of safeguarding lives.
Notably, the official ruled out the use of nets to stop boats, which had previously been suggested as a potential technique to disable the propellers of the vessels.
The decision to take action at all is a significant step forward, coming after a short-lived shift towards a stricter approach this warmer season, which dropped off when the previous Interior Minister departed from office.
This was demonstrated in the summer month, in the run-up to a summit between the UK leader and French president, when authorities were witnessed wading into the sea to damage the sides of a vessel.
Now French officials will once more be allowed to intercept boats prior to they pick up asylum-seeking individuals from the beaches of northern France, although it's not clear how the vessels will be stopped.
Strong winds are currently postponing the start of interceptions and the people-smuggling networks will be looking for methods to adapt to evade interception, as they have done so often in the past.
UK immigration authorities and the Prime Minister's office have been contacted for comment.
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