French authorities to begin intercepting small boats in Channel following UK pressure
France has agreed to start intercepting migrant vessels in the Channel, after months of pressure from the UK.
The change in policy follows the Prime Minister sent a letter to the French leader urging him to back the plan and saying there presently "have no effective preventive measure" in the Channel.
French maritime police will be allowed to intercept the small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their passengers, according to official confirmation.
French police have rarely acted to prevent the overcrowded boats departing from the shoreline because it is viewed as too great a risk to both officers and civilians.
"It is crucial that we implement these methods this month... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel."
Now, a French naval police representative says personnel will begin intervening at sea, with the objective of safeguarding human life.
Significantly, the official ruled out the use of nets to intercept boats, which had previously been reported as a potential technique to disable the engines of the boats.
The decision to intervene at all is a significant advancement, coming after a short-lived shift towards a more aggressive strategy this warmer season, which dropped off when the former government official left government.
That was highlighted in July, preceding a meeting between the Prime Minister and French president, when French police were witnessed walking into the sea to damage the hulls of a vessel.
Now French officials will once more be allowed to intercept boats before they pick up migrant individuals from the beaches of northern France, however it's uncertain how the vessels will be stopped.
Powerful gusts are currently postponing the start of interceptions and the human trafficking networks will be seeking ways to adapt to evade detection, as they have done so often in the past.
UK immigration authorities and the Prime Minister's office have been contacted for response.
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