French authorities to begin intercepting small boats in English Channel following British demands
France has agreed to start stopping small boats in the English Channel, after months of insistence from the UK.
This policy shift follows the British leader sent a letter to the President asking him to support the plan and stating there currently "have no effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage.
French security forces will be allowed to stop the migrant vessels at sea, but exclusively prior to they've picked up their passengers, according to authoritative confirmation.
French authorities have rarely intervened to stop the overcrowded boats leaving the shoreline because it is viewed as too great a danger to both personnel and civilians.
"It is essential that we implement these methods this month... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel waters."
Now, a French naval police representative states personnel will begin intervening at sea, with the aim of safeguarding human life.
Significantly, the official ruled out the use of nets to intercept boats, which had earlier been suggested as a potential technique to snarl the engines of the vessels.
The decision to take action at all is a major step forward, coming after a short-lived change towards a more aggressive strategy this warmer season, which ceased when the previous Interior Minister departed from office.
This was demonstrated in July, in the run-up to a summit between the Prime Minister and French president, when authorities were observed wading into the sea to damage the sides of a boat.
Currently French officials will once more be permitted to stop boats prior to they pick up asylum-seeking individuals from the beaches of northern France, however it's uncertain how the small boats will be stopped.
Strong winds are currently postponing the start of intervention operations and the people-smuggling gangs will be looking for ways to adapt to evade detection, as they have frequently done in the past.
The Home Office and the Prime Minister's office have been approached for comment.
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