France will start intercepting small boats in Channel following British demands
French officials have consented to begin intercepting migrant vessels in the English Channel, following an extended period of insistence from the UK.
The change in policy follows the Prime Minister sent a letter to the President urging him to support the initiative and stating there presently "lack any effective deterrent" in the maritime passage.
French maritime police have been authorized to stop the migrant vessels at sea, but exclusively prior to they've picked up their migrants, according to authoritative confirmation.
French authorities have rarely intervened to prevent the overcrowded boats departing from the coastline because it is considered too great a risk to both officers and civilians.
"It is essential that we deploy these tactics this period... We have zero effective deterrent in the Channel waters."
Currently, a French naval police spokesperson states personnel will start taking action at sea, with the objective of safeguarding human life.
Notably, the official excluded the use of nets to intercept boats, which had previously been suggested as a potential technique to disable the propellers of the vessels.
The decision to intervene at all is a major step forward, following a short-lived change towards a more aggressive strategy this summer, which ceased when the previous government official departed from government.
This was demonstrated in the summer month, preceding a meeting between the Prime Minister and President, when French police were observed wading into the sea to damage the hulls of a vessel.
Currently French officials will once more be permitted to intercept boats before they collect asylum-seeking individuals from the coastal areas of northern France, however 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 evade 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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