French authorities to begin intercepting small boats in English Channel following UK pressure
France has agreed to start intercepting small boats in the Channel, following an extended period of insistence from the UK.
This policy shift follows the Prime Minister wrote to the President urging him to back the plan and saying there presently "have no effective deterrent" in the maritime passage.
French security forces have been authorized to stop the migrant vessels at sea, but only before they've collected their passengers, according to official confirmation.
French authorities have infrequently intervened to prevent the heavily loaded boats leaving the coastline because it is considered too great a risk to both officers and individuals.
"It is crucial that we implement these tactics this period... We have no effective prevention in the Channel waters."
Currently, a French maritime police representative states officers will start intervening at sea, with the objective of protecting human life.
Significantly, the official ruled out the use of nets to intercept boats, which had earlier been reported as a possible method to disable the engines of the vessels.
The decision to take action at all is a significant step forward, following a short-lived change towards a more aggressive strategy this warmer season, which ceased when the former government official left office.
That was highlighted in the summer month, in the run-up to a summit between the Prime Minister and President, when French police were observed walking into the sea to slash the hulls of a boat.
Now French authorities will again be allowed to stop boats prior to they collect asylum-seeking passengers from the beaches of France's north coast, however it's not clear how the vessels will be prevented.
Powerful gusts are presently delaying the commencement of intervention operations and the people-smuggling networks will be seeking methods to adjust to evade detection, as they have frequently done in the past.
UK immigration authorities and Downing Street have been approached for response.
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