France to begin intercepting migrant vessels in Channel after British demands
French officials have consented to start stopping small boats in the Channel, following an extended period of insistence from the United Kingdom.
This policy shift comes after the Prime Minister sent a letter to the French leader asking him to back the initiative and saying there presently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage.
French security forces have been authorized to intercept the small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their migrants, according to official statements.
French authorities have rarely acted to stop the heavily loaded boats leaving the shoreline because it is viewed as excessively high a risk to both personnel and civilians.
"It is crucial that we implement these tactics this month... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel waters."
Currently, a French naval police representative states officers will start taking action at sea, with the objective of safeguarding human life.
Significantly, the official ruled out the use of nets to intercept boats, which had previously been suggested as a possible method to snarl the engines of the boats.
The decision to intervene at all is a significant advancement, following a brief shift towards a more aggressive strategy this summer, which ceased when the previous Interior Minister left government.
This was demonstrated in July, preceding a summit between the UK leader and President, when authorities were witnessed wading into the sea to slash the sides of a vessel.
Now French authorities will once more be allowed to intercept boats prior to they pick up asylum-seeking passengers from the beaches of northern France, although it's not clear how the vessels will be stopped.
Powerful gusts are presently delaying the commencement of intervention operations and the human trafficking gangs will be looking for ways to adapt to evade interception, as they have done so often in the previous instances.
The Home Office and Downing Street have been contacted for comment.
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