French authorities will start intercepting small boats in Channel following UK pressure
French officials have consented to start stopping migrant vessels in the English Channel, after months of pressure from the UK.
This policy shift follows the British leader wrote to the French leader asking him to back the plan and saying there presently "lack any effective deterrent" in the Channel.
French maritime police will be allowed to stop the migrant vessels at sea, but only before they've collected their passengers, according to official confirmation.
French police have rarely intervened to prevent the overcrowded boats leaving the shoreline because it is considered too great a risk to both personnel and civilians.
"It is essential that we implement these methods this month... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel waters."
Currently, a French naval police spokesperson says personnel will begin intervening at sea, with the objective of protecting lives.
Significantly, the official excluded the use of nets to stop boats, which had earlier been suggested as a possible method to snarl the engines of the boats.
The decision to take action at all is a major advancement, following a brief shift towards a more aggressive approach this warmer season, which dropped off when the previous government official left government.
This was demonstrated in July, preceding a meeting between the Prime Minister and President, when French police were observed wading into the sea to damage the hulls of a boat.
Now French authorities will once more be allowed to intercept boats before they collect asylum-seeking individuals from the coastal areas of France's north coast, however it's uncertain how the small boats will be stopped.
Strong winds are presently postponing the commencement of interceptions and the human trafficking gangs will be seeking methods to adjust to evade interception, as they have frequently done in the previous instances.
UK immigration authorities and the Prime Minister's office have been contacted for response.
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