France will start intercepting small boats in English Channel after UK pressure
France has agreed to begin intercepting small boats in the Channel, after an extended period of insistence from the United Kingdom.
This policy shift comes after the Prime Minister sent a letter to the President asking him to support the plan and stating there presently "lack any effective deterrent" in the Channel.
French maritime police will be allowed to intercept the migrant vessels at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their passengers, according to authoritative confirmation.
French authorities have infrequently acted to prevent the overcrowded boats leaving the coastline because it is viewed as too great a risk to both personnel and civilians.
"It is crucial that we implement these methods this period... We have no effective deterrent in the Channel waters."
Currently, a French maritime police representative says personnel will begin taking action at sea, with the objective of safeguarding human life.
Significantly, the spokesperson excluded the use of nets to intercept boats, which had previously been suggested as a possible technique to snarl the engines of the vessels.
The decision to intervene at all is a significant advancement, coming after a short-lived shift towards a stricter approach this summer, which ceased when the former Interior Minister departed from office.
That was highlighted in July, in the run-up to a summit between the Prime Minister and President, when authorities were observed wading into the sea to damage the sides of a vessel.
Currently French authorities will again be allowed to intercept boats before they pick up asylum-seeking passengers from the coastal areas of France's north coast, although it's uncertain how the small boats will be stopped.
Powerful gusts are presently postponing the commencement of interceptions and the human trafficking gangs will be looking for methods to adjust to avoid interception, as they have frequently done in the previous instances.
UK immigration authorities and the Prime Minister's office have been contacted for response.
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