France to begin intercepting small boats in English Channel after British demands
French officials have consented to begin intercepting migrant vessels in the English Channel, following an extended period of insistence from the UK.
The change in policy comes after the Prime Minister wrote to the President urging him to back the initiative and stating there currently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage.
French security forces have been authorized to stop the migrant vessels at sea, but only before they've picked up their migrants, according to authoritative statements.
French police have infrequently intervened to stop the overcrowded boats departing from the shoreline because it is considered excessively high a risk to both officers and civilians.
"It is essential that we deploy these tactics this period... We have no effective deterrent in the Channel waters."
Currently, a French naval police representative says officers will begin intervening at sea, with the objective of safeguarding lives.
Significantly, the official ruled out the use of entanglement devices to intercept boats, which had previously been reported as a potential method 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 approach this summer, which dropped off when the previous Interior Minister departed from government.
That was highlighted in July, in the run-up to a summit between the Prime Minister and French president, when authorities were witnessed walking into the sea to damage the sides of a vessel.
Now French authorities will once more be allowed to intercept boats before they pick up migrant passengers from the coastal areas of northern France, although it's uncertain how the vessels will be stopped.
Powerful gusts are presently delaying the start of interceptions and the people-smuggling gangs will be looking for ways to adapt to evade interception, as they have frequently done in the previous instances.
UK immigration authorities and the Prime Minister's office have been contacted for response.
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