France to begin intercepting small boats in English Channel after British demands
France has agreed to begin intercepting migrant vessels in the English Channel, following months of pressure from the United Kingdom.
This policy shift comes after the Prime Minister sent a letter to the French leader urging him to support the plan and saying there presently "have no effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage.
French security forces will be allowed to stop the migrant vessels at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their migrants, according to authoritative statements.
French authorities have infrequently intervened to prevent the overcrowded boats leaving the coastline because it is considered excessively high a danger to both officers and civilians.
"It is crucial that we deploy these tactics this period... We have no effective deterrent in the Channel."
Now, a French maritime police spokesperson says officers will start taking action at sea, with the objective of safeguarding human life.
Significantly, the official excluded the use of nets to stop boats, which had earlier been suggested as a possible method to snarl the engines of the vessels.
The decision to take action at all is a major step forward, following a short-lived change towards a stricter strategy this summer, which dropped off when the previous government official left government.
This was demonstrated in July, preceding a summit between the Prime Minister and President, when authorities were witnessed walking into the sea to slash the sides of a vessel.
Now French officials will again be permitted to intercept boats before they collect migrant passengers from the coastal areas of northern France, however it's not clear how the small boats will be stopped.
Powerful gusts are currently delaying the start of interceptions and the people-smuggling networks will be looking for methods to adjust to avoid detection, as they have frequently done in the previous instances.
UK immigration authorities and Downing Street have been approached for response.
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