France to begin intercepting migrant vessels in English Channel after British demands
France has agreed to begin intercepting small boats in the Channel, after months of pressure from the United Kingdom.
This policy shift follows the British leader sent a letter to the French leader asking him to back the initiative and saying there currently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the Channel.
French security forces have been authorized to intercept the migrant vessels at sea, but only before they've collected their migrants, according to official statements.
French authorities have infrequently acted to stop the overcrowded boats leaving the coastline because it is viewed as excessively high a danger to both officers and civilians.
"It is crucial that we deploy these tactics this period... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel waters."
Currently, a French maritime police spokesperson states officers will begin intervening at sea, with the objective of protecting lives.
Significantly, the official excluded the use of nets to intercept boats, which had previously been suggested as a potential technique to disable the propellers of the boats.
This determination to take action at all is a significant step forward, following a short-lived shift towards a more aggressive approach this summer, which ceased when the previous government official left office.
This was demonstrated in July, in the run-up to a meeting between the Prime Minister and French president, when authorities were observed walking into the sea to slash the hulls of a vessel.
Now French authorities will again be allowed to intercept boats before they collect migrant individuals from the beaches of France's north coast, however it's uncertain how the small boats will be stopped.
Powerful gusts are presently postponing the start of interceptions and the human trafficking networks will be seeking ways to adapt to avoid detection, as they have frequently done in the previous instances.
UK immigration authorities and the Prime Minister's office have been approached for response.
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