French authorities will start intercepting small boats in English Channel following UK pressure
France has agreed to begin intercepting small boats in the English Channel, after months of pressure from the UK.
This policy shift comes after the British leader wrote to the President 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 only before they've collected their passengers, according to authoritative statements.
French police have rarely intervened to prevent the overcrowded boats departing from the shoreline because it is considered excessively high a danger to both personnel and civilians.
"It is essential that we implement these tactics this period... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel waters."
Currently, a French naval police representative says officers will start intervening at sea, with the objective of protecting lives.
Notably, the official ruled out the use of nets to intercept boats, which had previously been suggested as a potential method to snarl the engines of the vessels.
The decision to intervene at all is a significant step forward, following a brief shift towards a more aggressive strategy this warmer season, which ceased when the former Interior Minister left government.
This was demonstrated in July, preceding a summit between the Prime Minister and French president, when authorities were witnessed walking into the sea to damage the sides of a boat.
Currently French officials will again be permitted to stop boats prior to they collect migrant individuals from the beaches of France's north coast, however it's uncertain how the vessels will be stopped.
Powerful gusts are presently postponing the start of intervention operations and the human trafficking networks will be looking for ways to adjust to avoid interception, as they have frequently done in the previous instances.
UK immigration authorities and the Prime Minister's office have been approached for response.
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