French authorities to begin intercepting small boats in Channel following UK pressure
France has agreed to start intercepting migrant vessels in the English Channel, following months of insistence from the United Kingdom.
This policy shift follows the British leader wrote to the President asking him to support the initiative and saying there currently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the Channel.
French maritime police will be allowed to stop the migrant vessels at sea, but exclusively prior to they've picked up their passengers, according to official confirmation.
French authorities have infrequently acted to prevent the overcrowded boats leaving the shoreline because it is considered too great a danger to both officers and individuals.
"It is crucial that we implement these methods this period... We have no effective deterrent in the Channel waters."
Now, a French maritime police spokesperson says personnel will start taking action at sea, with the objective of protecting lives.
Notably, the spokesperson ruled out the use of nets to intercept boats, which had earlier been suggested as a possible technique to disable the engines of the vessels.
This determination to intervene at all is a significant advancement, coming after a short-lived change towards a more aggressive approach this warmer season, which ceased when the former government official left government.
That was highlighted in the summer month, preceding a meeting between the UK leader and French president, when French police were observed wading into the sea to damage the hulls of a boat.
Currently French authorities will once more be allowed to intercept boats before they collect migrant passengers from the beaches of northern France, however it's uncertain how the small boats will be prevented.
Strong winds are presently delaying the start of interceptions and the human trafficking networks will be looking for methods to adjust 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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