French authorities to begin intercepting small boats in Channel following UK pressure
France has agreed to start intercepting small boats in the English Channel, after months of insistence from the United Kingdom.
This policy shift comes after the British leader sent a letter to the President urging him to back the plan and saying there presently "have no effective deterrent" in the Channel.
French security forces have been authorized to stop the migrant vessels at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their passengers, according to official confirmation.
French authorities have rarely acted to stop the heavily loaded boats departing from the coastline because it is considered too great a danger to both officers and individuals.
"It is crucial that we deploy these methods this month... We have no effective deterrent in the Channel."
Currently, a French maritime police spokesperson says officers will start taking action at sea, with the objective of safeguarding lives.
Significantly, the official ruled out the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had earlier been suggested as a potential technique to disable the propellers of the boats.
The decision to intervene at all is a major advancement, coming after a short-lived shift towards a more aggressive strategy this warmer season, which dropped off when the former government official departed from 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 slash the hulls of a boat.
Currently French officials will once more be permitted to intercept boats prior to they collect asylum-seeking individuals from the coastal areas of France's north coast, however it's not clear how the vessels will be prevented.
Powerful gusts are currently delaying the start of interceptions and the people-smuggling gangs will be seeking ways to adjust to avoid interception, as they have done so often in the past.
The Home Office and the Prime Minister's office have been contacted for comment.
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