French authorities will start stopping small boats in Channel following UK pressure
France has agreed to start intercepting migrant vessels in the Channel, after months of insistence from the United Kingdom.
The change in policy follows the British leader wrote to the French leader urging him to back the plan and stating there currently "have no effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage.
French maritime police will be allowed to intercept the small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their passengers, according to official confirmation.
French authorities have infrequently intervened to stop the overcrowded boats departing from the shoreline because it is considered excessively high a risk to both personnel and individuals.
"It is essential that we implement these methods this period... We have zero effective deterrent in the Channel waters."
Currently, a French maritime police representative says personnel will start taking action at sea, with the objective of safeguarding human life.
Notably, the official excluded the use of nets to stop boats, which had earlier been reported as a possible technique to snarl the propellers of the boats.
The decision to take action at all is a major advancement, coming after a short-lived shift towards a stricter approach this warmer season, which dropped off when the former Interior Minister left government.
This was demonstrated in July, preceding a summit between the UK leader and President, when authorities were observed wading into the sea to damage the hulls of a boat.
Now French officials will once more be permitted to stop boats before they pick up migrant passengers from the beaches of France's north coast, although it's not clear how the vessels will be prevented.
Powerful gusts are currently delaying the start of interceptions and the people-smuggling networks will be looking for ways to adapt to evade interception, as they have done so often in the previous instances.
The Home Office and Downing Street have been approached for comment.
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