French authorities will start intercepting small boats in English Channel following UK pressure
France has agreed to begin intercepting migrant vessels in the English Channel, following an extended period of pressure from the United Kingdom.
The change in policy comes after the Prime Minister sent a letter to the President urging him to back the initiative and stating there currently "have no effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage.
French security forces have been authorized to stop the migrant vessels at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their migrants, according to official statements.
French police have infrequently intervened to prevent the overcrowded boats departing from the coastline because it is considered excessively high a danger to both personnel and civilians.
"It is essential that we deploy these methods this period... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel."
Currently, a French maritime police representative states officers will start taking action at sea, with the aim of safeguarding lives.
Notably, the spokesperson ruled out the use of entanglement devices to intercept boats, which had earlier been reported as a potential method to snarl the propellers of the boats.
The decision to intervene at all is a major advancement, following a short-lived shift towards a more aggressive approach this summer, which ceased when the previous Interior Minister left office.
This was demonstrated in July, preceding a summit between the UK leader and French president, when French police were observed walking into the sea to damage the hulls of a boat.
Currently French officials will once more be allowed to intercept boats prior to they collect asylum-seeking individuals from the coastal areas of France's north coast, however it's uncertain how the vessels will be stopped.
Powerful gusts are currently postponing the commencement of interceptions and the human trafficking gangs will be looking for methods to adjust to avoid interception, as they have frequently done in the previous instances.
The Home Office and Downing Street have been contacted for response.
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