France to begin intercepting small boats in English Channel following UK pressure
France has agreed to begin stopping small boats in the Channel, after months of insistence from the United Kingdom.
The change in policy follows the Prime Minister sent a letter to the French leader urging him to support the initiative and stating there presently "lack any effective deterrent" in the maritime passage.
French security forces have been authorized to intercept the small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their migrants, according to official statements.
French authorities have rarely acted to stop the heavily loaded boats leaving the coastline because it is considered excessively high a risk to both personnel and civilians.
"It is essential that we deploy these methods this period... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel waters."
Now, a French maritime police spokesperson states officers will begin intervening at sea, with the aim of protecting human life.
Notably, the official ruled out the use of entanglement devices to intercept boats, which had previously been reported as a possible method to disable the engines of the vessels.
This determination to intervene at all is a significant step forward, following a brief change towards a more aggressive approach this warmer season, which dropped off when the previous government official departed from office.
That was highlighted in July, in the run-up to a meeting between the UK leader and French president, when authorities were observed wading into the sea to damage the sides of a vessel.
Now French authorities will once more be allowed to stop boats before they pick up asylum-seeking individuals from the beaches of France's north coast, although it's uncertain how the vessels will be prevented.
Powerful gusts are presently delaying the commencement of intervention operations and the human trafficking networks will be seeking ways to adapt to avoid interception, as they have done so often in the past.
UK immigration authorities and the Prime Minister's office have been approached for comment.
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