France will start intercepting small boats in Channel following UK pressure
France has agreed to start stopping migrant vessels in the English Channel, following months of insistence from the United Kingdom.
This policy shift follows the Prime Minister sent a letter to the French leader urging him to support the initiative and saying there currently "have no effective deterrent" 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 passengers, according to official confirmation.
French police have infrequently intervened to prevent the overcrowded boats departing from the shoreline because it is viewed as too great a danger to both officers and individuals.
"It is crucial that we implement these methods this month... We have zero effective deterrent in the Channel."
Currently, a French naval police representative states officers will start taking action at sea, with the aim of protecting human life.
Notably, the official ruled out the use of entanglement devices to intercept boats, which had previously been suggested as a possible method to snarl the propellers of the vessels.
This determination to take action at all is a significant step forward, coming after a brief shift towards a stricter strategy this warmer season, which ceased when the former Interior Minister departed from government.
This was demonstrated in July, in the run-up to a meeting between the UK leader and President, when authorities were witnessed walking into the sea to damage the hulls of a boat.
Now French officials will once more be allowed to intercept boats before they pick up migrant individuals from the beaches of northern France, however it's uncertain how the small boats will be prevented.
Powerful gusts are currently delaying the start of interceptions and the human trafficking networks will be looking for methods to adjust to avoid detection, as they have done so often in the previous instances.
The Home Office and Downing Street have been contacted for comment.
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