French authorities will start intercepting small boats in Channel after UK pressure
French officials have consented to begin intercepting small boats in the English Channel, after months of insistence from the UK.
This policy shift follows the British leader wrote to the President asking him to back the plan and stating there presently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the Channel.
French maritime police have been authorized to intercept the migrant vessels at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their migrants, according to official confirmation.
French police have infrequently acted to stop the overcrowded boats leaving the coastline because it is viewed as excessively high a risk to both personnel and individuals.
"It is essential that we implement these tactics this period... We have no effective deterrent in the Channel waters."
Currently, a French naval police representative says officers will begin intervening at sea, with the objective of protecting human life.
Notably, the official excluded the use of nets to intercept boats, which had previously been suggested as a possible technique to snarl the propellers of the boats.
This determination to intervene at all is a significant step forward, coming after a short-lived change towards a more aggressive strategy this summer, which ceased when the previous Interior Minister left government.
This was demonstrated in the summer month, in the run-up to a meeting between the Prime Minister and President, when authorities were observed walking into the sea to damage the hulls of a boat.
Now French authorities will again be allowed to intercept boats before they collect asylum-seeking passengers from the beaches of northern France, however it's uncertain how the vessels will be prevented.
Powerful gusts are currently delaying the start of interceptions and the human trafficking gangs will be looking for methods to adapt to evade detection, as they have done so often in the previous instances.
UK immigration authorities and Downing Street have been approached for response.
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