🔗 Share this article France will start stopping small boats in English Channel following British demands French officials have consented to begin intercepting migrant vessels in the English Channel, after an extended period of pressure from the UK. The change in policy follows the Prime Minister sent a letter to the French leader asking him to support the plan and saying there presently "have no effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage. French security forces have been authorized to intercept the small boats at sea, but only before they've collected their passengers, according to official confirmation. French authorities have rarely intervened to prevent the overcrowded boats departing from the shoreline because it is viewed as excessively high a risk to both personnel and civilians. "It is crucial that we implement these tactics this period... We have zero effective deterrent in the Channel." Now, a French naval police representative says officers will begin taking action at sea, with the objective of protecting human life. Significantly, the official ruled out the use of entanglement devices to intercept boats, which had earlier been reported as a possible method to disable the propellers of the vessels. The decision to intervene at all is a major advancement, coming after a short-lived change towards a stricter strategy this warmer season, which dropped off when the previous Interior Minister departed from government. This was demonstrated in July, preceding a summit between the Prime Minister and French president, when authorities were observed wading into the sea to damage the hulls of a boat. Currently French officials will again be permitted to intercept boats before they collect asylum-seeking individuals from the beaches of France's north coast, although it's uncertain how the small boats will be prevented. Strong winds are presently delaying the start of interceptions and the people-smuggling networks will be seeking 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 comment. Connected Developments Why UK can't just send back asylum seekers to France French government backing away from pledge to intercept migrant boats UK immigration Channel crossings Border security