France to begin intercepting small boats in Channel following UK pressure
France has agreed to begin intercepting small boats in the Channel, after an extended period of insistence from the United Kingdom.
This policy shift follows the Prime Minister wrote to the French leader asking him to back the plan and saying there presently "have no effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage.
French maritime police have been authorized to stop the migrant vessels at sea, but exclusively prior to they've picked up their migrants, according to official confirmation.
French authorities have infrequently intervened to stop the heavily loaded boats leaving the coastline because it is viewed as too great a danger to both personnel and individuals.
"It is crucial that we implement these methods this period... We have zero effective deterrent in the Channel."
Now, a French naval police spokesperson states officers will begin intervening at sea, with the aim of protecting human life.
Notably, the official ruled out the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had earlier been suggested as a potential method to disable the engines of the vessels.
The decision to intervene at all is a significant advancement, coming after a brief shift towards a stricter strategy this summer, which ceased when the former Interior Minister departed from office.
This was demonstrated in July, in the run-up to a meeting between the Prime Minister and President, when French police were observed walking into the sea to damage the hulls of a boat.
Now French officials will again be allowed to intercept boats prior to they pick up asylum-seeking individuals from the coastal areas of France's north coast, although it's uncertain how the small boats will be prevented.
Powerful gusts are currently postponing the start of intervention operations and the human trafficking gangs will be seeking ways to adjust to evade interception, as they have frequently done in the past.
UK immigration authorities and the Prime Minister's office have been approached for response.
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