France to begin intercepting small boats in English Channel following UK pressure
French officials have consented to begin intercepting small boats in the Channel, after an extended period of insistence from the United Kingdom.
The change in policy follows the British leader wrote to the French leader urging him to back the initiative and saying there currently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage.
French security forces will be allowed to stop the migrant vessels at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their migrants, according to official confirmation.
French authorities have infrequently intervened to prevent the overcrowded boats leaving the shoreline because it is considered excessively high a danger to both officers and individuals.
"It is essential that we implement these tactics this period... We have no effective deterrent in the Channel."
Currently, a French maritime police spokesperson states officers will start intervening at sea, with the aim of protecting lives.
Significantly, the official excluded the use of entanglement devices to intercept boats, which had earlier been reported as a potential technique to disable the engines of the boats.
The decision to take action at all is a major advancement, coming after a brief shift towards a more aggressive strategy this summer, which dropped off when the former government official left office.
That was highlighted in July, preceding a summit between the UK leader and French president, when French police were witnessed walking into the sea to damage the sides of a vessel.
Currently French officials will once more be allowed to intercept boats before they pick up migrant individuals from the coastal areas of northern France, however it's not clear how the small boats will be stopped.
Strong winds are presently postponing the commencement of interceptions and the people-smuggling networks will be seeking methods to adapt to evade detection, as they have done so often in the previous instances.
UK immigration authorities and Downing Street have been contacted for response.
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