France will start intercepting migrant vessels in English Channel after British demands
French officials have consented to start intercepting small boats in the English Channel, following months of insistence from the United Kingdom.
This policy shift follows the Prime Minister wrote to the French leader asking him to support the plan and stating there presently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the Channel.
French security forces have been authorized to intercept the small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've picked up their passengers, according to official confirmation.
French authorities have infrequently intervened to prevent the heavily loaded boats departing from the shoreline because it is viewed as excessively high a risk to both personnel and civilians.
"It is essential that we implement these tactics this month... We have no effective deterrent in the Channel waters."
Currently, a French naval police representative says personnel will start intervening at sea, with the aim of safeguarding human life.
Notably, the official excluded the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had earlier been reported as a potential method to disable the engines of the boats.
This determination to intervene at all is a major advancement, following a short-lived change towards a stricter strategy this warmer season, which dropped off when the former government official left office.
That was highlighted in the summer month, in the run-up to a meeting between the UK leader and President, when authorities were witnessed walking into the sea to slash the hulls of a boat.
Now French officials will again be allowed to stop boats prior to they collect asylum-seeking passengers from the beaches of France's north coast, however it's not clear how the vessels will be prevented.
Strong winds are presently postponing the commencement of interceptions and the human trafficking gangs will be seeking ways to adjust to evade detection, as they have done so often in the past.
UK immigration authorities and the Prime Minister's office have been contacted for response.
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