France will start intercepting small boats in Channel after British demands
France has agreed to begin intercepting small boats in the English Channel, following months of pressure from the United Kingdom.
This policy shift comes after the British leader sent a letter to the French leader asking him to support the plan and saying there presently "lack any effective deterrent" in the maritime passage.
French security forces will be allowed to intercept the migrant vessels at sea, but only before they've picked up their migrants, according to official statements.
French authorities have rarely acted to prevent the heavily loaded boats leaving the coastline because it is considered too great a risk to both personnel and individuals.
"It is essential that we implement these tactics this period... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel."
Now, a French naval police spokesperson says personnel will start taking action at sea, with the objective of safeguarding lives.
Notably, the official excluded the use of entanglement devices to intercept boats, which had earlier been reported as a potential technique to snarl the engines of the vessels.
This determination to take action at all is a significant advancement, following a brief shift towards a stricter approach this warmer season, which dropped off when the previous Interior Minister departed from office.
This was demonstrated in the summer month, in the run-up to a summit between the Prime Minister and French president, when French police were observed wading into the sea to slash the hulls of a vessel.
Currently French officials will again be permitted to intercept boats before they collect migrant individuals from the coastal areas of France's north coast, however it's uncertain how the vessels will be stopped.
Strong winds are presently delaying the commencement of intervention operations and the human trafficking networks will be seeking methods to adjust to evade detection, as they have frequently done in the past.
The Home Office and Downing Street have been contacted for comment.
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