France to begin intercepting small boats in Channel after UK pressure
French officials have consented to start intercepting migrant vessels in the English Channel, following months of pressure from the United Kingdom.
The change in policy follows the Prime Minister wrote to the President asking him to back the plan and stating there currently "have no effective deterrent" in the Channel.
French maritime police will be allowed to intercept the migrant vessels at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their passengers, according to official statements.
French police have rarely intervened to prevent the overcrowded boats leaving the coastline because it is considered too great a danger to both officers and individuals.
"It is crucial that we implement these tactics this month... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel."
Currently, a French maritime police spokesperson states personnel will begin intervening at sea, with the aim of protecting human life.
Notably, the spokesperson ruled out the use of entanglement devices to intercept boats, which had previously been suggested as a potential technique to snarl the engines of the vessels.
This determination to take action at all is a significant step forward, following a short-lived change towards a stricter strategy this warmer season, which dropped off when the former Interior Minister departed from office.
This was demonstrated in the summer month, preceding 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 again be permitted to stop boats before they pick up asylum-seeking passengers from the beaches of France's north coast, however it's uncertain how the small boats will be prevented.
Powerful gusts are presently postponing the start of interceptions and the people-smuggling gangs will be seeking methods to adjust to avoid detection, as they have frequently done in the past.
UK immigration authorities and the Prime Minister's office have been contacted for response.
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