France to begin intercepting migrant vessels in English Channel following UK pressure
French officials have consented to start stopping small boats in the Channel, after months of pressure from the United Kingdom.
The change in policy follows the Prime Minister wrote to the French leader asking him to back the initiative and stating there currently "have no effective preventive measure" in the Channel.
French security forces will be allowed to intercept the small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've picked up their migrants, according to official statements.
French authorities have rarely acted to prevent the overcrowded boats leaving the coastline because it is viewed as excessively high a risk to both officers and civilians.
"It is essential that we implement these methods this month... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel."
Currently, a French naval police spokesperson says officers will start intervening at sea, with the objective of safeguarding human life.
Significantly, the official ruled out the use of entanglement devices to intercept boats, which had earlier been suggested as a potential method to disable the engines of the boats.
This determination to intervene at all is a major advancement, coming after a short-lived change towards a more aggressive approach this warmer season, which ceased when the former government official departed from government.
This was demonstrated in July, preceding a meeting between the Prime Minister and President, when authorities were witnessed wading into the sea to slash the hulls of a boat.
Now French authorities will again be permitted to stop boats before they collect migrant individuals from the beaches of France's north coast, although it's uncertain how the vessels will be prevented.
Powerful gusts are currently postponing the commencement of interceptions and the people-smuggling gangs will be seeking ways to adjust to avoid detection, as they have frequently done in the past.
The Home Office and the Prime Minister's office have been approached for comment.
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