French authorities to begin intercepting small boats in English Channel following British demands
France has agreed to start intercepting migrant vessels in the Channel, following months of pressure from the UK.
This policy shift comes after the British leader wrote to the President urging him to back the initiative and stating there currently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage.
French maritime police will be allowed to stop the small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their migrants, according to official confirmation.
French police have rarely intervened to stop the heavily loaded boats departing from the shoreline because it is considered too great a risk to both personnel and individuals.
"It is crucial that we implement these methods this period... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel waters."
Now, a French naval police representative says officers will begin intervening at sea, with the aim of safeguarding lives.
Notably, the spokesperson excluded the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had earlier been reported as a potential technique to snarl the engines of the boats.
The decision to intervene at all is a major step forward, coming after a short-lived change towards a stricter strategy this warmer season, which ceased when the previous government official departed from government.
This was demonstrated in July, preceding a summit between the Prime Minister and President, when authorities were witnessed walking into the sea to damage the sides of a boat.
Currently French authorities will once more be permitted to stop boats prior to they collect asylum-seeking passengers from the beaches of northern France, although it's not clear how the small boats will be prevented.
Strong winds are currently postponing the start of interceptions and the human trafficking networks will be looking for methods to adjust to avoid detection, as they have frequently done in the previous instances.
UK immigration authorities and Downing Street have been approached for comment.
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