French authorities to begin intercepting migrant vessels in English Channel after UK pressure
France has agreed to start intercepting small boats in the Channel, after an extended period of pressure from the UK.
This policy shift comes after the British leader sent a letter to the President urging him to back the plan and saying there currently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage.
French maritime police have been authorized to intercept the small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their passengers, according to authoritative statements.
French authorities have infrequently intervened to stop the heavily loaded boats departing from the shoreline because it is considered excessively high a risk to both officers and civilians.
"It is crucial that we implement these tactics this month... We have no effective prevention in the Channel."
Currently, a French naval police representative states officers will start taking action at sea, with the objective of safeguarding human life.
Significantly, the spokesperson ruled out the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had earlier been reported as a possible method to disable the propellers of the boats.
This determination to intervene at all is a significant step forward, coming after a short-lived change towards a stricter approach this summer, which dropped off when the former government official departed from government.
This was demonstrated in July, preceding a summit between the Prime Minister and French president, when authorities were witnessed wading into the sea to slash the sides of a boat.
Currently French authorities will again be permitted to intercept boats prior to they collect migrant individuals from the beaches of France's north coast, although it's not clear how the vessels will be prevented.
Strong winds are presently delaying the start of intervention operations and the human trafficking gangs will be seeking methods to adjust to avoid detection, as they have done so often in the past.
The Home Office and Downing Street have been contacted for comment.
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