French authorities to begin intercepting small boats in English Channel following British demands
France has agreed to begin intercepting migrant vessels in the Channel, after an extended period of pressure from the United Kingdom.
The change in policy follows the British leader wrote to the President urging him to back the initiative and saying there currently "have no effective deterrent" in the maritime passage.
French security forces have been authorized to intercept the migrant vessels at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their migrants, according to authoritative statements.
French authorities have rarely acted to stop the heavily loaded boats departing from the shoreline because it is viewed as excessively high a risk to both officers and individuals.
"It is crucial that we implement these tactics this month... We have no effective deterrent in the Channel."
Currently, a French naval police representative states officers will start taking action at sea, with the aim of protecting lives.
Notably, the official ruled out the use of entanglement devices to intercept boats, which had previously been suggested as a potential method to snarl the propellers of the vessels.
This determination to intervene at all is a significant step forward, following a short-lived change towards a stricter approach this warmer season, which dropped off when the former Interior Minister left government.
That was highlighted in the summer month, in the run-up to a summit between the Prime Minister and President, when French police were observed wading into the sea to damage the sides of a vessel.
Now French officials will once more be permitted to stop boats prior to they pick up migrant individuals from the beaches of France's north coast, however it's not clear how the vessels will be stopped.
Strong winds are currently postponing the start of intervention operations and the people-smuggling gangs will be looking for methods to adjust to evade interception, as they have done so often in the past.
The Home Office and Downing Street have been contacted for response.
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