French authorities to begin intercepting small boats in Channel after UK pressure
French officials have consented to begin intercepting small boats in the English Channel, after an extended period of insistence from the UK.
This policy shift follows the Prime Minister sent a letter to the President asking him to back the initiative and stating there presently "lack any effective deterrent" in the maritime passage.
French maritime police will be allowed to stop the migrant vessels at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their passengers, according to authoritative confirmation.
French police have rarely intervened to stop the heavily loaded boats leaving the shoreline because it is considered too great a danger to both personnel and individuals.
"It is crucial that we implement these methods this period... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel."
Now, a French naval police representative states personnel will begin taking action at sea, with the aim of protecting human life.
Notably, the spokesperson excluded the use of entanglement devices to intercept boats, which had earlier been reported as a possible method to snarl the engines of the vessels.
This determination to take action at all is a significant advancement, following a brief change towards a more aggressive strategy this summer, which dropped off when the previous Interior Minister left government.
That was highlighted in July, preceding a summit between the Prime Minister and French president, when French police were witnessed wading into the sea to slash the hulls of a boat.
Now French officials will once more be allowed to stop boats prior to they collect asylum-seeking passengers from the beaches of northern France, however it's not clear how the vessels will be prevented.
Powerful gusts are presently postponing the commencement of interceptions and the people-smuggling gangs will be looking for methods to adapt to avoid interception, as they have done so often in the previous instances.
UK immigration authorities and the Prime Minister's office have been contacted for response.
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