France to begin intercepting migrant vessels in Channel after British demands
France has agreed to begin intercepting small boats in the English Channel, after months of insistence from the United Kingdom.
The change in policy comes after the Prime Minister wrote to the President urging him to support the initiative and stating there presently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the Channel.
French maritime police will be allowed to stop the migrant vessels at sea, but only before they've picked up their passengers, according to authoritative confirmation.
French authorities have rarely acted to stop the heavily loaded boats departing from the coastline because it is viewed as too great a danger to both officers and civilians.
"It is essential that we deploy these methods this period... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel."
Currently, a French maritime police spokesperson says personnel will start intervening at sea, with the objective of protecting human life.
Notably, the official excluded the use of nets to intercept boats, which had previously been reported as a potential method to snarl the engines of the boats.
This determination to intervene at all is a significant step forward, coming after a brief shift towards a stricter strategy this warmer season, which ceased when the former government official left government.
This was demonstrated in the summer month, in the run-up to a summit between the Prime Minister and French president, when authorities were observed wading into the sea to slash the hulls of a vessel.
Currently French officials will again be permitted to stop boats before they pick up migrant individuals from the coastal areas of France's north coast, although it's uncertain how the small boats will be stopped.
Strong winds are presently delaying the commencement of intervention operations and the human trafficking gangs will be seeking ways to adjust to evade detection, as they have done so often in the previous instances.
The Home Office and the Prime Minister's office have been contacted for response.
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