France will start intercepting small boats in Channel following British demands
French officials have consented to start intercepting small boats in the English Channel, after an extended period of insistence from the United Kingdom.
This policy shift follows the British leader wrote to the President asking him to back the initiative and saying there presently "have no effective deterrent" in the maritime passage.
French maritime police have been authorized to intercept the small boats at sea, but only before they've picked up their migrants, according to official confirmation.
French police have rarely intervened to prevent the heavily loaded boats departing from the shoreline because it is viewed as too great a risk to both officers and individuals.
"It is crucial that we deploy these methods this period... We have no effective prevention in the Channel waters."
Currently, a French naval police spokesperson states officers will begin taking action at sea, with the objective of safeguarding human life.
Notably, the official excluded the use of nets to intercept boats, which had previously been suggested as a possible technique to disable the engines of the vessels.
This determination to intervene at all is a significant advancement, coming after a short-lived shift towards a stricter strategy this summer, which dropped off when the previous government official left office.
That was highlighted in July, preceding a summit between the UK leader and French president, when authorities were observed wading into the sea to damage the sides of a boat.
Now French officials will once more be allowed to stop boats before they collect migrant individuals from the coastal areas of France's north coast, however it's not clear how the small boats will be stopped.
Strong winds are presently delaying the commencement of intervention operations and the human trafficking gangs will be looking for methods to adjust to avoid interception, as they have frequently done in the past.
UK immigration authorities and Downing Street have been approached for comment.
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