France to intercept migrant boats at sea in crackdown backed by UK

French authorities are preparing to intercept small boats carrying asylum seekers, including those already at sea, as part of a crackdown on Channel crossings. The move follows mounting pressure from the UK government and comes amid record numbers of arrivals this year. According to a UK Home Office source quoted by The Guardian on Wednesday, French officials have agreed this week to draw up plans to intervene not only on beaches but also in waters close to shore and along inland canals. The aim is to stop so-called “taxi boats” — small vessels operating on rivers and waterways to pick up people and ferry them to launching points along the coast. “The French have said this week they will intervene to tackle the taxi boats which are operating inland and near to French beaches to help prevent these dangerous crossings,” the source told the paper.

The plans have been criticized by NGOs, who argue they could endanger lives by pushing interceptions further into treacherous waters or before rescue teams can safely intervene. The shift in French policy follows comments from UK Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, who earlier this week expressed concern over the lack of swift French intervention. Cooper said she wants to see French border forces intercepting boats not only in shallow waters but also as they travel from rivers and canals.

The issue has come to a head as Prime Minister and Labour leader Keir Starmer faces increasing pressure from Nigel Farage’s Reform UK Party, with immigration expected to be a central issue in the coming election cycle. On Saturday, a record 1,195 people arrived in the UK in 19 small boats, bringing the total number of Channel arrivals this year to 14,812 -- the highest ever recorded for this point in the year. With heat waves forecast for the summer, officials fear the numbers could rise even further.