France will start intercepting small boats in English Channel following UK pressure
France has agreed to start stopping migrant vessels in the Channel, after an extended period of pressure from the UK.
The change in policy follows the Prime Minister sent a letter to the French leader urging him to support the plan and saying there presently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage.
French maritime police have been authorized to stop the small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their passengers, according to authoritative statements.
French police have infrequently acted to stop the overcrowded boats leaving the coastline because it is viewed as too great a danger to both personnel and individuals.
"It is crucial that we implement these methods this month... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel."
Now, a French maritime police representative says personnel will start intervening at sea, with the aim of safeguarding human life.
Significantly, the spokesperson ruled out the use of entanglement devices to intercept boats, which had previously been reported as a potential technique to snarl the propellers of the vessels.
The decision to intervene at all is a major advancement, following a short-lived shift towards a more aggressive strategy this warmer season, which ceased when the former Interior Minister departed from government.
That was highlighted in July, preceding a summit between the Prime Minister and French president, when French police were observed wading into the sea to damage the hulls of a vessel.
Now French officials will once more be permitted to stop boats prior to they pick up asylum-seeking passengers from the beaches of northern France, however it's uncertain how the small boats will be stopped.
Powerful gusts are currently postponing the commencement of interceptions and the human trafficking gangs will be looking for ways to adapt to evade interception, as they have done so often in the past.
The Home Office and Downing Street have been approached for response.
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