France to begin intercepting small boats in Channel following British demands
France has agreed to begin intercepting migrant vessels in the Channel, after an extended period of insistence from the United Kingdom.
The change in policy follows the Prime Minister sent a letter to the President asking him to back the plan and stating there presently "lack any effective deterrent" in the maritime passage.
French maritime police have been authorized to stop the migrant vessels at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their migrants, according to authoritative statements.
French authorities have infrequently intervened to stop the heavily loaded boats leaving the shoreline because it is considered excessively high a risk to both personnel and individuals.
"It is crucial that we implement these methods this month... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel."
Currently, a French naval police spokesperson says personnel will start intervening at sea, with the objective of safeguarding human life.
Significantly, the spokesperson ruled out the use of entanglement devices to intercept boats, which had previously been reported as a possible method to snarl the propellers of the vessels.
The decision to intervene at all is a significant step forward, following a brief change towards a stricter approach this summer, which ceased when the previous government official departed from office.
That was highlighted in July, in the run-up to a meeting between the Prime Minister and French president, when authorities were witnessed walking into the sea to damage the hulls of a boat.
Currently French officials will once more be allowed to stop boats prior to they pick up migrant individuals from the coastal areas of northern France, although it's not clear how the small boats will be stopped.
Powerful gusts are currently delaying the start of intervention operations and the human trafficking gangs will be seeking methods to adapt to avoid interception, as they have frequently done in the previous instances.
The Home Office and the Prime Minister's office have been contacted for comment.
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