France to begin intercepting migrant vessels in English Channel following UK pressure
France has agreed to start intercepting migrant vessels 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 French leader asking him to back the initiative and stating there currently "have no effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage.
French maritime police will be allowed to intercept the small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their passengers, according to authoritative statements.
French police have rarely acted to stop the heavily loaded boats departing from the coastline because it is considered excessively high a risk to both officers and civilians.
"It is crucial that we implement these methods this period... We have no effective deterrent in the Channel."
Currently, a French naval police spokesperson states officers will begin intervening at sea, with the objective of protecting lives.
Notably, the official excluded the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had previously been suggested as a possible method to snarl the engines of the vessels.
This determination to intervene at all is a major advancement, coming after a brief change towards a stricter approach this summer, which ceased when the previous Interior Minister left government.
That was highlighted in the summer month, in the run-up to a meeting between the UK leader and French president, when authorities were observed wading into the sea to slash the sides of a vessel.
Currently French authorities will once more be allowed to stop boats prior to they pick up migrant passengers from the coastal areas of northern France, although it's uncertain how the small boats will be stopped.
Strong winds are currently postponing the commencement of intervention operations and the human trafficking gangs will be looking for ways to adapt to evade detection, as they have done so often in the previous instances.
The Home Office and Downing Street have been approached for response.
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