French authorities to begin intercepting migrant vessels in Channel following British demands
France has agreed to start intercepting small boats in the English Channel, following 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 deterrent" in the Channel.
French maritime police will be allowed to intercept the migrant vessels at sea, but exclusively prior to they've picked up their passengers, according to official confirmation.
French police have rarely intervened to prevent the heavily loaded boats leaving the shoreline because it is considered too great a danger to both officers and individuals.
"It is essential that we deploy these methods this period... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel waters."
Currently, a French naval police representative states officers will begin intervening at sea, with the aim of protecting lives.
Notably, the spokesperson ruled out the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had previously been reported as a potential technique to disable the engines of the vessels.
The decision to take action at all is a significant advancement, following a brief change towards a stricter strategy this warmer season, which ceased when the former Interior Minister departed from government.
That was highlighted in the summer month, preceding a summit between the UK leader and French president, when authorities were observed wading into the sea to damage the hulls of a vessel.
Currently French authorities will once more be permitted to intercept boats before they collect asylum-seeking passengers from the beaches of northern France, however it's not clear how the small boats will be stopped.
Powerful gusts are presently postponing the start of intervention operations and the people-smuggling gangs will be seeking methods to adjust to evade interception, as they have done so often in the past.
UK immigration authorities and the Prime Minister's office have been contacted for comment.
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