French authorities will start intercepting small boats in English Channel after UK pressure
France has agreed to begin intercepting migrant vessels in the Channel, after months of pressure from the United Kingdom.
This policy shift follows the Prime Minister sent a letter to the French leader asking him to support the plan and saying there currently "have no effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage.
French maritime police have been authorized to stop the migrant vessels at sea, but exclusively prior to they've picked up their migrants, according to official confirmation.
French police have rarely intervened to stop the heavily loaded boats departing from the shoreline because it is viewed as excessively high a risk to both officers and civilians.
"It is crucial that we implement these tactics this period... We have no effective prevention in the Channel."
Currently, a French naval police spokesperson says officers will start intervening at sea, with the aim of protecting lives.
Notably, the official ruled out the use of nets to intercept boats, which had earlier been suggested as a possible method to disable the propellers of the vessels.
This determination to take action at all is a significant step forward, coming after a short-lived change towards a stricter strategy this warmer season, which dropped off when the former government official departed from office.
This was demonstrated in the summer month, preceding a summit between the Prime Minister and President, when French police were observed walking into the sea to damage the hulls of a vessel.
Currently French authorities will once more be permitted to stop boats prior to they collect migrant passengers from the beaches of France's north coast, however it's not clear how the vessels will be prevented.
Powerful gusts are currently delaying the start of interceptions and the human trafficking gangs will be seeking methods to adjust to avoid detection, as they have done so often in the past.
The Home Office and Downing Street have been approached for response.
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