French authorities will start intercepting small boats in English Channel following British demands
French officials have consented to start intercepting migrant vessels in the English Channel, after an extended period of insistence from the United Kingdom.
The change in policy comes after the Prime Minister sent a letter to the President urging him to back the plan and saying there presently "have no effective preventive measure" in the Channel.
French security forces have been authorized to stop the migrant vessels at sea, but only before they've picked up their passengers, according to authoritative confirmation.
French police have rarely intervened to prevent the heavily loaded boats departing from the coastline because it is considered excessively high a danger to both personnel and individuals.
"It is essential that we implement these methods this period... We have no effective prevention in the Channel waters."
Now, a French maritime police representative says personnel will start taking action at sea, with the aim of safeguarding human life.
Notably, the official ruled out the use of entanglement devices to intercept boats, which had earlier been suggested as a possible technique to disable the propellers of the boats.
The decision to take action at all is a significant step forward, following a brief shift towards a stricter strategy this summer, which dropped off when the former government official departed from government.
This was demonstrated in the summer month, in the run-up to a meeting between the UK leader and French president, when French police were observed wading into the sea to damage the sides of a vessel.
Currently French officials will again be allowed to intercept boats prior to they pick up migrant individuals from the coastal areas of northern France, however it's uncertain how the vessels will be prevented.
Powerful gusts are currently delaying the start of intervention operations and the people-smuggling networks will be seeking ways to adjust to avoid detection, as they have frequently done in the past.
UK immigration authorities and Downing Street have been approached for comment.
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