French authorities to begin intercepting migrant vessels in Channel after UK pressure
French officials have consented to begin stopping small boats in the Channel, following an extended period of insistence from the United Kingdom.
This policy shift comes after the Prime Minister wrote to the French leader urging him to support the plan and stating there presently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the Channel.
French security forces will be allowed to intercept the small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their passengers, according to authoritative statements.
French authorities have infrequently acted to stop the heavily loaded boats departing from the coastline because it is viewed as too great a risk to both officers and individuals.
"It is crucial that we deploy these methods this period... We have no effective prevention in the Channel waters."
Now, a French maritime police spokesperson says personnel will begin taking action at sea, with the objective of safeguarding human life.
Notably, the official ruled out the use of entanglement devices to intercept boats, which had previously been suggested as a possible technique to snarl the propellers of the vessels.
The decision to take action at all is a significant advancement, following a short-lived change towards a stricter strategy this summer, which dropped off when the former government official left government.
This was demonstrated in the summer month, preceding a meeting between the Prime Minister and French president, when French police were observed wading into the sea to damage the sides of a boat.
Now French officials will once more be permitted to intercept boats prior to they collect migrant passengers from the coastal areas of northern France, however it's not clear how the small boats will be prevented.
Powerful gusts are currently delaying the start of intervention operations and the people-smuggling networks will be looking for ways to adjust to avoid interception, as they have frequently done in the past.
UK immigration authorities and Downing Street have been contacted for comment.
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