France to begin intercepting migrant vessels in English Channel after UK pressure
French officials have consented to begin stopping small boats in the Channel, after an extended period of insistence 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 presently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage.
French maritime police have been authorized to stop the small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their migrants, according to official confirmation.
French authorities have rarely acted to prevent the heavily loaded boats leaving the shoreline because it is considered too great a danger to both officers and civilians.
"It is essential that we deploy these tactics this period... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel waters."
Currently, a French naval police spokesperson says personnel will begin intervening at sea, with the aim of safeguarding human life.
Notably, the spokesperson excluded the use of entanglement devices to intercept boats, which had previously been suggested as a possible method to disable the propellers of the vessels.
This determination to take action at all is a major step forward, following a short-lived change towards a stricter approach this warmer season, which dropped off when the previous government official departed from government.
This was demonstrated in July, preceding a meeting between the UK leader and French president, when French police were observed walking into the sea to slash the sides of a boat.
Currently French authorities will once more be allowed to intercept boats before they collect migrant individuals from the beaches of France's north coast, although it's uncertain how the small boats will be stopped.
Strong winds are currently delaying the start of intervention operations and the people-smuggling networks will be seeking ways to adjust to avoid interception, as they have frequently done in the past.
The Home Office and the Prime Minister's office have been contacted for response.
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