France to begin intercepting small boats in English Channel after UK pressure
French officials have consented to start intercepting migrant vessels in the English Channel, following an extended period of insistence from the UK.
This policy shift follows the Prime Minister sent a letter to the President urging him to support the plan and saying there presently "lack any effective deterrent" in the maritime passage.
French maritime police will be allowed to stop the small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their passengers, according to official statements.
French police have rarely acted to prevent the heavily loaded boats departing from the shoreline because it is considered too great a risk to both officers and civilians.
"It is crucial that we deploy these tactics this month... We have no effective prevention in the Channel waters."
Currently, a French maritime police spokesperson says personnel will start intervening at sea, with the aim of protecting human life.
Notably, the official excluded the use of nets to intercept boats, which had previously been reported as a possible technique to snarl the engines of the vessels.
The decision to intervene at all is a major advancement, following a short-lived change towards a more aggressive approach this warmer season, which ceased when the former government official left office.
This was demonstrated in the summer month, in the run-up to a meeting between the UK leader and French president, when French police were witnessed wading into the sea to slash the sides of a vessel.
Now French authorities will once more be allowed to intercept boats prior to they pick up asylum-seeking individuals from the coastal areas of France's north coast, however it's not clear how the vessels will be prevented.
Strong winds are currently postponing the start of interceptions and the human trafficking networks will be seeking ways to adjust to avoid detection, as they have frequently done in the past.
The Home Office and the Prime Minister's office have been contacted for comment.
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