France to begin stopping migrant vessels in Channel following British demands
France has agreed to start intercepting small boats in the English Channel, after an extended period of pressure from the United Kingdom.
The change in policy comes after the British leader sent a letter to the French leader urging him to support the plan and saying there presently "lack any effective deterrent" in the maritime passage.
French security forces will be allowed to intercept the small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've picked up their passengers, according to authoritative confirmation.
French authorities have infrequently acted to prevent the heavily loaded boats leaving the coastline because it is viewed as too great a danger to both officers and civilians.
"It is crucial that we deploy these methods this period... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel waters."
Now, a French maritime police spokesperson says officers will start intervening at sea, with the aim of protecting human life.
Notably, the spokesperson ruled out the use of nets to stop boats, which had earlier been suggested as a possible technique to snarl the propellers of the boats.
This determination to take action at all is a significant advancement, coming after a short-lived change towards a stricter approach this summer, which ceased when the previous Interior Minister left government.
This was demonstrated in the summer month, preceding a meeting between the UK leader and French president, when French police were observed walking into the sea to damage the hulls of a vessel.
Currently French authorities will again be allowed to intercept boats prior to they pick up asylum-seeking individuals from the coastal areas of northern France, although it's not clear how the small boats will be prevented.
Strong winds are currently postponing the commencement of interceptions and the human trafficking gangs will be looking for methods to adapt to evade interception, as they have frequently done in the past.
UK immigration authorities and the Prime Minister's office have been approached for response.
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