France to begin intercepting small boats in Channel after British demands
France has agreed to start stopping migrant vessels in the English Channel, after months of pressure from the UK.
This policy shift comes after the Prime Minister sent a letter to the President urging him to back the plan and saying there presently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage.
French maritime police have been authorized to intercept the migrant vessels at sea, but only before they've picked up their passengers, according to official confirmation.
French authorities have rarely intervened to prevent the heavily loaded boats leaving the shoreline because it is considered too great a danger to both officers and individuals.
"It is crucial that we implement these tactics this period... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel waters."
Currently, a French naval police representative states personnel will begin intervening at sea, with the aim of protecting lives.
Notably, the official excluded the use of nets to intercept boats, which had earlier been suggested as a potential method to disable the engines of the boats.
The decision to take action at all is a major advancement, coming after a short-lived shift towards a stricter strategy this summer, which dropped off when the former government official left office.
This was demonstrated in the summer month, preceding a summit between the Prime Minister and French president, when French police were observed wading into the sea to slash the sides of a vessel.
Currently French officials will again be allowed to stop boats prior to they collect migrant passengers from the coastal areas of northern France, although it's not clear how the vessels will be stopped.
Powerful gusts are presently postponing the commencement of intervention operations and the people-smuggling networks will be looking for methods to adjust to evade detection, as they have done so often in the past.
The Home Office and Downing Street have been contacted for response.
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