French authorities to begin intercepting small boats in Channel after British demands
French officials have consented to begin intercepting migrant vessels in the English Channel, following months of pressure from the UK.
This policy shift comes after the Prime Minister wrote to the French leader urging him to back the initiative and saying there presently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage.
French security forces have been authorized to stop the small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their passengers, according to authoritative confirmation.
French police have infrequently acted to prevent the heavily loaded boats leaving the coastline because it is considered too great a risk to both officers and civilians.
"It is crucial that we implement these methods this period... We have no effective prevention in the Channel."
Now, a French maritime police representative states personnel will begin taking action at sea, with the aim of safeguarding human life.
Notably, the official excluded the use of nets to intercept boats, which had earlier been reported as a potential technique to snarl the engines of the vessels.
This determination to take action at all is a significant step forward, coming after a short-lived change towards a more aggressive strategy this summer, which ceased when the former Interior Minister left government.
That was highlighted in the summer month, in the run-up to a summit between the UK leader and French president, when authorities were witnessed walking into the sea to slash the hulls of a vessel.
Now French authorities will once more be allowed to stop boats prior to they pick up asylum-seeking individuals from the coastal areas of France's north coast, however it's not clear how the small boats will be stopped.
Powerful gusts are presently postponing the commencement of intervention operations and the people-smuggling networks will be seeking ways to adjust to avoid detection, as they have frequently done in the past.
UK immigration authorities and the Prime Minister's office have been approached for comment.
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