France to begin intercepting small boats in Channel after UK pressure
French officials have consented to start intercepting small boats in the Channel, following months of insistence from the United Kingdom.
The change in policy follows the British leader sent a letter to the French leader asking him to support the initiative and saying there currently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage.
French security forces have been authorized to intercept the migrant vessels at sea, but only before they've collected their passengers, according to official confirmation.
French authorities have infrequently intervened to stop the heavily loaded boats leaving the shoreline because it is considered excessively high a danger to both personnel and individuals.
"It is crucial that we deploy these methods this month... We have zero effective deterrent in the Channel waters."
Currently, a French maritime police spokesperson states personnel will start intervening at sea, with the aim of protecting human life.
Notably, the spokesperson excluded the use of nets to intercept boats, which had earlier been suggested as a potential technique to snarl the propellers of the boats.
The decision to take action at all is a significant step forward, following a short-lived change towards a more aggressive strategy this warmer season, which dropped off when the previous government official departed from office.
That was highlighted in July, in the run-up to a summit between the Prime Minister and French president, when French police were observed walking into the sea to slash the hulls of a vessel.
Currently French authorities will again be allowed to intercept boats before they pick up asylum-seeking passengers from the beaches of northern France, however it's uncertain how the small boats will be prevented.
Powerful gusts are presently delaying the commencement of intervention operations and the human trafficking networks will be looking for methods to adapt to evade detection, as they have frequently done in the previous instances.
The Home Office and Downing Street have been approached for comment.
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