France will start intercepting small boats in English Channel following UK pressure
France has agreed to start stopping migrant vessels in the Channel, following months of insistence from the United Kingdom.
This policy shift comes after the British leader sent a letter to the President urging him to support the initiative and stating there presently "have no effective preventive measure" in the Channel.
French maritime police will be allowed to intercept the migrant vessels at sea, but only before they've picked up their passengers, according to official statements.
French authorities have infrequently intervened to stop the heavily loaded boats leaving the shoreline because it is viewed as excessively high a risk to both officers and individuals.
"It is essential that we implement these methods this period... We have no effective prevention in the Channel."
Currently, a French naval police spokesperson says officers will start taking action at sea, with the objective of protecting human life.
Notably, the official excluded the use of nets to stop boats, which had previously been suggested as a potential technique to disable the engines of the vessels.
The decision to take action at all is a significant step forward, coming after a brief change towards a more aggressive approach this summer, which ceased when the previous government official departed from office.
That was highlighted in the summer month, preceding a meeting between the UK leader and French president, when authorities were observed wading into the sea to slash the hulls of a vessel.
Now French officials will again be allowed to intercept boats prior to they pick up migrant individuals from the coastal areas of northern France, although it's uncertain how the small boats will be prevented.
Powerful gusts are presently postponing the commencement of intervention operations and the human trafficking networks will be looking for ways to adjust to avoid interception, as they have done so often in the past.
UK immigration authorities and Downing Street have been contacted for response.
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