French authorities will start intercepting migrant vessels in English Channel after British demands
French officials have consented to begin stopping small boats in the Channel, following an extended period of insistence from the UK.
This policy shift comes after the British leader wrote to the French leader asking him to back the plan and stating there presently "have no effective preventive measure" in the Channel.
French security forces will be allowed to intercept the small boats at sea, but only before they've collected their passengers, according to official statements.
French authorities have infrequently acted to prevent the heavily loaded boats departing from the coastline because it is considered excessively high a danger to both personnel and civilians.
"It is crucial that we deploy these methods this period... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel waters."
Currently, a French naval police representative states officers will start taking action at sea, with the objective of protecting human life.
Notably, the official ruled out the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had earlier been reported as a potential technique to disable the engines of the boats.
This determination to take action at all is a major step forward, following a short-lived shift towards a stricter approach this warmer season, which dropped off when the previous Interior Minister left office.
This was demonstrated in July, preceding a meeting between the UK leader and President, when French police were observed wading into the sea to slash the sides of a vessel.
Now French authorities will again be allowed to stop boats prior to they collect migrant individuals from the beaches of northern France, although it's not clear how the small boats will be prevented.
Strong winds are presently postponing the commencement of intervention operations and the human trafficking networks will be seeking ways to adapt to evade interception, 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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